Patent Application
20150076840
The invention relates to a coupling g device for releasably connecting a pivotably mounted body part, in particular a vehicle door, tailgate or hood, to a vehicle structural part of a vehicle body.
German Utility Model DE 200 03 277 U1 discloses a generic coupling device which is formed of a lock with two locking bars which are displaceable in a parallel manner in relation to one another between an open and a closed position, wherein when displacing the locking bars into their closed position they interact with a counterpart in a form-locking and/or force-locking manner for the purposes of locking. In order to move the locking bars between their open and closed position, a rotatable locking plate is provided which produces an operative connection to the locking bars through the use of crank drives. The two locking bars are moved between the open and closed position as a result of rotating the locking plate.
In addition, Published, Prosecuted German Patent Application DE 10 57 496 B describes a device for dosing motor vehicle doors which includes an electrically drivable engagement member on a door wing or on a stationary door frame and a corresponding receiving body for the drivable engagement member on the other part. In this connection, a truncated-cone-shaped locking bar can be used as an engagement member which engages in a hollow truncated cone as a receiving body. In addition, realizing such a locking bar and the associated receiving opening in a wedge-shaped manner, for example, in the form of wedge faces is also proposed.
Finally, Published German Patent Application DE 103 15 565 A1 also makes known a coupling device which is used as a so-called force joint for releasably connecting a vehicle door to a door pillar, the vehicle door being pivotally mounted on the locating side on the door pillar located there by way of a force joint. In addition, the vehicle door includes a door stiffening device connecting the force joint to the force lock such that forces from the door pillars can be introduced into the vehicle doors via the force joint and the force lock and, as a result, the rigidity of the vehicle body is increased.
The force lock described in German Patent Application DE 103 15 565 A1 for releasably connecting a vehicle door to a B-pillar of a motor vehicle body includes a first coupling element which is provided on the door side and a second coupling element which interacts with the first coupling element and is fastened on the body side, in a closed state of the force lock the two coupling elements abutting against one another in a play-free manner such that pulling and pushing forces are able to be transmitted in order, as a result, to increase the bending stiffness of the connection between the vehicle door and the B pillar and the torsional stiffness of the vehicle body. In addition, to avoid a high surface pressure and to compensate for any tolerances which can be generated by the production or in operation, holding bodies, including wedge faces, of the second coupling element are provided which cooperate with correspondingly realized wedge faces of an engagement body of the first coupling element. To form the wedge faces, the holding bodies or the engagement bodies provided on the door side are realized in the manner of cone segments or in the shape of truncated cones, four such holding bodies, for example, being arranged radially around a bolt. The tensioning of the wedge faces, that is the locking of the two coupling segments is brought about by a motorized drive or by an electromagnet, the two coupling elements being released in the event of the power supply of the drive being switched off. Realization of the known force-locking requires a high number of kinematic components which include a complicated geometry. Apart from the force lock, the vehicle door of the vehicle body additionally includes a usual door lock.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a coupling device which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known coupling devices of this general type. It is in particular an object of the invention to provide a coupling device that can be produced using a few, structurally simple components.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a coupling device for releasably connecting a pivotably mounted body part to a vehicle structural part, the coupling device including:
a first coupling element and a second coupling element, the second coupling element, in a coupled state of the coupling device, being coupled in a play-free manner with the first coupling element;
the first coupling element having two locking bars, the locking bars being mounted so as to be displaceable in relation to one another in a parallel manner, the locking bars being configured as plate-shaped closing wedges;
a cuboid closing wedge holder, the plate-shaped closing wedges being mounted in the cuboid closing wedge holder, the plate-shaped closing wedges having respective wedge faces and having a respective side edge with a respective wedge-shaped cross section for forming the wedge faces;
a motorized driving device and an operative connecting device, the motorized driving device, in order to couple the first and the second coupling element, moving the locking bars apart from one another in a motorized manner by using the operative connecting device; and
the second coupling element having two holding jaws, the holding jaws receiving the first coupling element therebetween, the holding jaws having respective keyways with respective wedge faces formed therein such that the plate-shaped dosing wedges are pressed, with the wedge faces of the plate-shaped dosing wedges, into the keyways as a result of the plate-shaped dosing wedges being displaced apart from one another in a motorized manner and thus are movable into abutment with the wedge faces of the keyways.
In other words, according to the invention, there is provided a coupling device for releasably connecting a pivotably mounted body part, in particular a vehicle door, tailgate or hood, to a vehicle structural part of a vehicle body, having a first coupling element and a second coupling element which is coupled in a play-free manner with the first coupling element in the coupled state of the coupling device, wherein the first coupling element includes two locking bars which are mounted so as to be displaceable in relation to one another in a parallel manner and there is provided a motorized driving device which, for coupling the two coupling elements, moves the locking bars apart from one another in a motorized manner through the use of an operative connecting device, is characterized according to the invention in that the locking bars are realized as plate-shaped closing wedges, which are mounted in a cuboid closing wedge holder, having wedge faces which include a side edge with a wedge-shaped cross section for forming the wedge faces, and the second coupling element is realized with two holding jaws, which receive the first coupling element between them, having keyways in such a manner that the closing wedges are pressed by way of their wedge faces into the keyways as a result of the locking bars being displaced apart from one another in a motorized manner and at the same time are able to be moved into abutment with the wedge faces of the keyways.
The coupling device according to the invention manages with a few elements, in particular only two dosing wedges are necessary, by way of which an effective form-locking is obtained between the two coupling elements, namely in all directions lying in the plane perpendicular to the wedge faces, i.e. with reference to a coordinate system of a vehicle both in the x and z direction. There is a high degree of form-locking in the direction in which the dosing wedges are moved out of the keyways.
As a result of using simple dosing wedges with keyways introduced into holding jaws for receiving the dosing wedges, a simple structural configuration is produced which can be realized in a cost-efficient manner both with regard to the production and also to assembly.
As a result of the plate-shaped closing wedges with side edges with a wedge-shaped cross section, the structural configuration is further reduced as complicated rotationally symmetrical bodies according to the prior art, such as truncated cone segments or truncated cones are omitted. Even the kinematics necessary for the two closing wedges to be displaced apart into the keyways of the holding jaws can be realized with simple measures.
In order to also allow a form-locking in the y-direction in the direction of the vehicle interior, in their longitudinal extension the keyways taper conically toward one another and the wedge faces of the closing wedges are adapted to the conical development or profile in such a manner that the insertion of the closing edges, when closing for example a vehicle door, into the second coupling element is made easier, however as a result of the longitudinal grooves of the holding jaws conically tapering toward one another in the direction of the vehicle interior and the closing wedges being adapted thereto, the two coupling elements are tensioned in this direction and consequently also allow a form-locking that enables force transmission. Thus, according to a feature of the invention, the keyways taper conically toward one another in a longitudinal extension of the keyways thus forming a conical profile; and the wedge faces of the closing wedges are adapted to the conical profile.
According to another feature of the invention, each of the dosing wedges has a side edge facing a respective one of the holding jaws; and at least one of the dosing wedges has a dosing lug on the side edge. Thus, alternatively or additionally, at least one of the dosing wedges is realized with a dosing lug on the side edge located opposite the holding jaws, which dosing lug moves into corresponding dosing openings in the keyways of the holding jaws of the second coupling element during locking. As a result, full form-locking is brought about between the two coupling elements also in the y direction, that is both in the direction of the vehicle interior and toward the outside.
According to yet another feature of the invention, the first coupling element has at least one return spring element, the at least one return spring element connects the closing wedges to one another and pretensions the closing wedges in a direction toward one another. By, according to this embodiment, the first coupling element including at least one return spring element which connects the closing wedges and pretensions the two closing wedges in the direction toward one another, the two closing wedges do not have to be actively pulled out of the tensioning with the keyways when the cam disk is rotated in the corresponding position through the use of the motorized driving device.
According to a feature of the invention, the operative connecting device for establishing an operative connection between the motorized driving device and the closing wedges of the first coupling element includes a cam disk with two diametrically opposed cam lugs; and the cam disk is mounted in the first coupling element such that, as a result of a rotation with the cam lugs and the closing wedges in operative connection, the closing wedges are pressed into the keyways of the holding jaws. In the case of this advantageous further embodiment of the invention, the operative connecting device for producing the operative connection between the motorized driving device and the closing wedges of the first coupling element includes a cam disk which has two diametrically opposed cam lugs and is mounted in the first coupling element in such a manner that, as a result of a rotation with the cam lugs and the closing wedges in operative connection, the same are pressed into the keyways.
Consequently, the dosing wedges, which are displaceably mounted in the first coupling dement, can be easily moved apart into the keyways by way of the cam disk that is disposed in between them, preferably in the plate plane of the dosing wedges, the dosing wedges moving symmetrically into the keyways of the holding jaws as a result of the oppositely located cam lugs.
According to another feature of the invention, the operative connecting device includes a control disk, the control disk is connected to the cam disk in a manner fixed against rotation relative thereto; and a stop device limits a rotation of the control disk such that the control disk is rotatable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position decouples the first and the second coupling element and wherein the second position couples the first and the second coupling element. Thus, according to this embodiment of the invention, the operative connecting device includes a control disk which is connected non-rotatably to the cam disk, wherein through the use of a stop device the rotation of the control disk is limited in such a manner that the control disk is rotatable between a first position, which decouples the first and second coupling element, and a second position which couples the first and second coupling element.
With such a control disk, advantageous control of the motorized driving device can be realized as the limited rotation of the control disk results in a detectable change in driving parameters, such as, for example, the motor current of an electric motor as the driving device and can be utilized for switching off the driving device.
According to another feature of the invention, an entrainment device is provided; the operative connecting device has a driving disk, the driving disk is connectable to the control disk in a manner fixed against relative rotation through use of the entrainment device; the entrainment device is disposed in a pivotable and spring-loaded manner on the control disk such that the entrainment device establishes a releasable latching connection to the driving disk such that the latching connection is fixed against relative rotation; and the control disk is pivotable between the first and the second position as a result of a rotation of the driving disk, wherein the rotation is brought about by the motorized driving device. Thus, according to a further embodiment of the invention, the operative connecting device includes a driving disk which is non-rotatably connectable to the control disk through the use of an entrainment device, wherein the entrainment device is provided in a pivotable and spring-loaded manner on the control disk in such a manner that the entrainment device produces a releasable and non-rotatable latching connection to the driving disk and, as a result of a rotation of the driving disk that is brought about by the driving device, the control disk is pivotable between the first and second position.
A releasable coupling between the driving side and the driven side, which serves manually for realizing a manual emergency release, is realized by way of this entrainment device.
According to an embodiment of the invention, this is realized through the use of an emergency lever which is displaceable when operatively connected to the entrainment device in such a manner that the latching connection to the driving disk is released in the second position of the control disk and there is provided a spring element which pretensions the control disk in the direction of the first position, through the use of which the control disk is pivoted into the first position when the entrainment device is unlatched. Thus, according to a feature of the invention, an emergency lever is provided for an emergency release of the first and the second coupling element when coupled, wherein the emergency lever, when operatively connected to the entrainment device, is displaceable such that the latching connection in the second position of the control disk to the driving disk is released; and a spring element is provided for pretensioning the control disk in a direction of the first position, the spring element pivoting the control disk into the first position when the entrainment device is unlatched.
In the event of a power failure, the emergency lever is actuated through the use of a door handle, as soon as the latching connection between the control disk and the driving disk is released, the return spring elements pull the two closing wedges back out of the clamping with the keyways in the holding jaws such that, a vehicle door, for example, can be opened.
An alternative embodiment of an emergency release is created wherein a release ring, disposed axially with respect to the control disk, is provided with a control cam which can be moved into operative connection with the entrainment device for releasing the latching connection between the entrainment device and the driving disk and wherein an actuating device is provided by way of which a rotation of the release ring out of a rest position into at least one operating position is effected in such a manner that with the rotation initially the latching connection with the driving disk is released at least in the second position of the control disk and the control disk is then rotated through the use of the entrainment device in the direction of the first position thereof. Thus according to a feature of the invention, a release ring is provided for the emergency release of the first and the second coupling element, the release ring is disposed axially with respect to the control disk, the release ring has a control cam which can be brought into operative connection with the entrainment device for releasing the latching connection of the entrainment device with the driving disk; and an actuating device is configured to effect a rotation of the release ring out of a rest position into at least one operating position such that by way of the rotation initially the latching connection, at least in the second position of the control disk, with the driving disk is released and the control disk is then rotated, through use of the entrainment device, in a direction of the first position of the control disk.
This embodiment provides the advantage that an emergency release is possible even if the motorized driving device fails during the operation of coupling the two coupling elements.
In the case of this embodiment, the rotation of the release ring is preferably effected through the use of a pivotably mounted toothed segment element, in particular a toothed segment wheel or a toothed rod which meshes with a toothed segment of the release ring, the toothed segment element is pretensioned through the use of a spring in a first pivot position which corresponds to the rest position of the release ring and through the use of the actuating device, the toothed segment element is pivoted out of the first pivot position into a second pivot position which rotates the release ring in the operating position thereof. Thus, according to a feature of the invention, the release ring has a toothed segment; a toothed segment element is pivotably mounted and meshes with the toothed segment of the release ring such that the toothed segment element effects a rotation of the release ring; and the toothed segment element is spring-pretensioned in a first pivot position, which corresponds to a rest position of the release ring, and, through use of the actuating device, the toothed segment element is pivoted out of the first pivot position into a second pivot position which rotates the release ring in an operating position thereof. According to another feature of the invention, the toothed segment element is a toothed segment wheel or a toothed rod.
A Bowden cable device is provided in particular as actuating device which is pivotally mounted on the toothed segment element at the one end and is connected to a door handle of the lock at the other end. In other words, the actuating device is configured as a Bowden cable device having a first end and a second end, and wherein the Bowden cable device is linked to the toothed segment element at the first end and is configured to be connected to an actuating handle of a vehicle lock at the second end.
A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention is provided as a result of providing an entrainment disk which is rotationally coupled with the driving disk, wherein the rotational coupling is formed by at least one play-compensating spring element which is connected at the one end to the entrainment disk and at the other end to the driving disk, and the rotational coupling allows a relative rotation between the driving disk and the entrainment disk over a predefined rotation angle in such a manner that as a result of a rotation of the entrainment disk in the direction of rotation D1 of the second position of the control disk, the driving disk is pretensioned in the same direction of rotation D1 at least when its end position is reached and a play-compensating further rotation at a maximum rotation angle that corresponds to the predefined rotation angle is made possible. Thus, according to this feature of the invention, an entrainment disk is rotationally coupled with the driving disk; and at least one play-compensating spring element is connected at one end thereof to the entrainment disk and at another end thereof to the driving disk such that a rotational coupling between the entrainment disk and the driving disk is established via the at least one play-compensating spring element, wherein the rotational coupling allows a relative rotation between the driving disk and the entrainment disk over a given rotation angle in such a manner that as a result of a rotation of the entrainment disk in a direction of rotation of the second position of the control disk, the driving disk is, at least when an end position of the driving disk is reached, pretensioned in a same direction of rotation and a play-compensating further rotation at a rotation angle which maximally corresponds to the given rotation angle is made possible.
The rotational coupling between the driving disk and the entrainment disk brings about, therefore, that in the case of a rotation of the entrainment disk that is brought about by the driving device in the rotational direction of the second position of the control disk, the driving disk is initially pretensioned until it is enough to entrain the entrainment disk in the same rotational direction into a position in which the closing wedges are tensioned in a play-free manner in the keyways, wherein in this position the play-compensating spring element presses excessively up to a stop that limits the relative rotation and as a result the spring force up to this position has increased. Should, with the driving device switched off, play be generated between the closing wedges and the holding jaws, the spring force brought about by the play-compensating spring element brings about a relative rotation of the driving disk in relation to the entrainment disk which rotates the control disk further in the direction of its second position whilst eliminating the play generated, such that, as a result, also the cam disk with its two cam lugs presses the two closing wedges further into the keyways whilst eliminating the play generated.
Consequently, when the driving device is switched off, a dynamic play compensation between the two coupling elements is obtained and, as a result, the form-locking between the two coupling elements is continuously ensured during the operation of the vehicle.
According to a further embodiment, there are provided connecting devices which enable a relative rotation of the entrainment disk in relation to the driving disk at the predefined rotation angle and consequently form a stop that limits the relative rotation. In other words, connecting devices enabling the relative rotation of the entrainment disk in relation to the driving disk at the given rotation angle are provided. A connecting pin which is connected to the driving disk and a longitudinal groove which is disposed on the entrainment disk for receiving the connecting pin are preferably provided as connecting devices in such a manner that the longitudinal groove enables a relative movement of the connecting pin corresponding to the angle of rotation. Thus, according to a feature of the invention, a connecting pin and a longitudinal groove are provided as the connecting devices, the connecting pin is connected to the driving disk, the longitudinal groove is provided on the entrainment disk for receiving the connecting pin such that the longitudinal groove allows a relative movement of the connecting pin corresponding to the rotation angle.
According to an advantageous embodiment, the entrainment disk includes a worm wheel which is driven by the motorized driving device through the use of a worm or screw. According to this feature of the invention, a worm is provided; and the entrainment disk includes a worm wheel driven by the motorized driving device via the worm. In addition, the entrainment disk includes a spring attaching wheel which, together with the driving disk receives the at least one play-compensating spring dement and includes the longitudinal groove. In other words, the entrainment disk includes a spring attaching wheel, the spring attaching wheel is formed with a longitudinal groove and, together with the driving disk, receives the at least one play-compensating spring element.
The motorized driving device is realized so as to be self-locking, in particular as an electric motor for the motorized driving of the driving disk or of the entrainment disk. Thus, according to a feature of the invention, the motorized driving device is configured to be self-locking and the motorized driving device is advantageously configured as an electric motor for a motorized driving of the driving disk or the entrainment disk.
With the objects of the invention in view there is also provided, a vehicle configuration which includes:
a motor vehicle body having a vehicle structural part and a pivotably mounted body part;
a coupling device for releasably connecting the pivotably mounted body part to the vehicle structural part;
the coupling device including a first coupling element, a second coupling element, a cuboid dosing wedge holder, a motorized driving device, and an operative connecting device;
the second coupling element, in a coupled state of the coupling device, being coupled in a play-free manner with the first coupling element;
the first coupling element having two locking bars, the locking bars being mounted so as to be displaceable in relation to one another in a parallel manner, the locking bars being configured as plate-shaped closing wedges;
the plate-shaped closing wedges being mounted in the cuboid closing wedge holder, the plate-shaped closing wedges having respective wedge faces and having a respective side edge with a respective wedge-shaped cross section for forming the wedge faces;
the motorized driving device, in order to couple the first and the second coupling element, moving the locking bars apart from one another in a motorized manner by using the operative connecting device; and
the second coupling element having two holding jaws, the holding jaws receiving the first coupling element therebetween, the holding jaws having respective keyways with respective wedge faces formed therein such that the plate-shaped closing wedges are pressed, with the wedge faces of the plate-shaped closing wedges, into the keyways as a result of the plate-shaped closing wedges being displaced apart from one another in a motorized manner and thus being movable into abutment with the wedge faces of the keyways.
According to a feature of the invention, the pivotably mounted body part is a body part such as a vehicle door, a tailgate, or a hood.
According to another feature of the invention, the operative connecting device for establishing an operative connection between the motorized driving device and the closing wedges of the first coupling element includes a cam disk with two diametrically opposed cam lugs; the cam disk is mounted in the first coupling element such that, as a result of a rotation with the cam lugs and the closing wedges in operative connection, the dosing wedges are pressed into the keyways of the holding jaws; the operative connecting device includes a control disk, the control disk is connected to the cam disk in a manner fixed against rotation relative thereto; a stop device limits a rotation of the control disk such that the control disk is rotatable between a first position and a second position, wherein the first position decouples the first and the second coupling element and wherein the second position couples the first and the second coupling element; an entrainment device is provided, the operative connecting device has a driving disk, the driving disk is connectable to the control disk in a manner fixed against relative rotation through use of the entrainment device; the entrainment device is disposed in a pivotable and spring-loaded manner on the control disk such that the entrainment device establishes a releasable latching connection to the driving disk such that the latching connection is fixed against relative rotation; a release ring is provided for an emergency release of the first and the second coupling element, the release ring is disposed axially with respect to the control disk, the release ring has a control cam which can be moved into operative connection with the entrainment device for releasing the latching connection between the entrainment device and the driving disk; an actuating device is configured to effect a rotation of the release ring out of a rest position into at least one operating position such that by way of the rotation initially the latching connection, at least in the second position of the control disk, with the driving disk is released and the control disk is then rotated, through use of the entrainment device, in a direction of the first position thereof; the release ring has a toothed segment, a toothed segment element is pivotably mounted and meshes with the toothed segment of the release ring such that the toothed segment element effects a rotation of the release ring, the toothed segment element is spring-pretensioned in a first pivot position, which corresponds to a rest position of the release ring, and, through use of the actuating device, the toothed segment element is pivoted out of the first pivot position into a second pivot position which rotates the release ring in an operating position thereof; and a vehicle lock with an actuating handle is provided, the actuating device is configured as a Bowden cable device having a first end and a second end, and the Bowden cable device is linked to the toothed segment element at the first end and is connected to the actuating handle of the vehicle lock at the second end.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a coupling device for releasably connecting a pivotably mounted body part, such as a vehicle door, tailgate or hood to a vehicle structural part of a motor vehicle body, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
a, 7b are diagrammatic partial views of the first and second coupling elements of the coupling device according to
a, 8b are further diagrammatic partial views of the first and second coupling elements of the coupling device according to
a, 9b are diagrammatic partial views of the first coupling element according to the invention to explain the emergency release function of the coupling device according to
a, 14b are diagrammatic perspective views of the driving disk and entrainment disk according to
a, 15b, 15c are diagrammatic perspective views of the first coupling element according to
a, 16b are diagrammatic views of elements of the coupling device according to the invention for explaining the emergency release function of the coupling device according to
a, 17b, 17c are diagrammatic perspective views of the first coupling element according to
a, 18b are diagrammatic perspective views of the first coupling element according to
Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to
According to
The second coupling element 20 according to
In order to make it easier to insert the closing wedge holder 13 with the two closing wedges 11 and 12 between the two holding jaws 21 and 23, the two holding jaws 21 and 23 are pivoted at a point P by an angle α (for example 3°) in relation to a horizontal center line A such that the two keyways 22 and 24 taper conically toward one another (cf.
In order to displace the closing wedges 11 and 12, for coupling the two coupling elements 10 and 20, out of their position decoupled with the holding jaws 21 and 23 according to
As a result of a rotation of the cam disk 41 about 90°, brought about by the driving device 30 and designated as a 90° position, the cam lugs 41a come into contact with the two closing wedges 11 and 12 and press the closing wedges apart from one another against the spring force of two return spring elements 14, which connects the two dosing wedges 11 and 12 together according to
As a result of tensioning the closing wedges 11 and 12 by way of the keyways 22 and 24, a form-locking is produced between the two coupling elements 10 and 20 in the x and z direction and on account of the conical profile of the two keyways 22 and 24 also in the y direction, namely in the direction of the vehicle interior. There is high degree of force-locking in the opposite y direction, that is toward the outside.
Consequently, this form-locking can be utilized for the purpose of introducing forces from the B pillar 2 into the vehicle door 3 when a corresponding door load path is constructed. To this end, according to
According to
The detailed configuration of the coupling device 100 according to the invention will be described below by way of
According to
According to
As a result, a form-locking is achieved between the two coupling elements 10 and 20 also in the y direction with reference to the vehicle coordinate system. Such an embodiment as shown in
Openings 13b are provided in the cross leg of the H shape of the closing wedge holder 13, through which openings the two return spring elements 14 connecting the dosing wedges 11 and 12 are guided. In each case elastic and sleeve-shaped closing wedge dampers 14a are sheathed over the return spring elements 14 in order to ensure that the dosing wedges 11 and 12 move gently into the keyways 22 and 24.
For accommodating the cam disk 41 which is disposed on the end of the cam shaft 42, the dosing wedge holder 13 includes a central bore 13c. The cam disk 41 is placed onto a profiled end of the cam shaft 42 and secured through the use of a fastening screw 42a.
Finally, the end faces of the closing wedge holder 13 are covered in each case with an end cap 13d.
In addition, one of the two closing wedges 11 and 12 can be realized with a closing lug 11d or 12d, as is shown in
The axial configuration along the cam shaft 42, formed of the closing wedge holder 13, the panel 17 and a base plate 16 is held together by two mounting screws 18.
Proceeding from the base plate 16 as far as up to the driving device 30,
The cam disk 41 which sits on the end of the cam shaft 42 has already been described. The other end of the cam shaft 42 projects through the base plate 16 and carries a control disk 43, which is connected non-rotatably, i.e fixed against relative rotation, to the cam shaft 42 and on the flange 43a of which a driving disk 48 is rotatably mounted. The control disk 43 and the driving disk 48 are releasably connected through the use of an entrainment device 46, which is disposed so as to be pivotable on the control disk 43 and is realized as an angle lever. The entrainment device 46 is mounted through the use of a rotational axis 46a on the control disk 43 in such a manner that a pin-shaped locking bar 46b, which is disposed on the end of a leg, is pressed both into a latching device 48a of the driving disk 48 and into a latching device 43b of the control disk 43 under the spring force of a spring element 47 which is realized as a leg spring.
As a result of a rotation of the driving disk 48 initiated by the driving device 30, a corresponding rotation of the control disk 43 is effected, the rotation thereof being limited by a stop device 44, which is realized as a stop pin and interacts with an arcuate control slot 43c of the control disk 43, substantially to a 90° angular range.
A spring element 45, which is realized as a tension spring and is pivotally mounted on the control disk 43 at one end through the use of a fixing pin 45a by way of the base plate 16 and at the other end through the use of a return cable 45c through the use of a connecting pin 45b, is additionally provided. A rotation into the rotational direction D1 brings about a pretensioning of the control disk 43 into the opposite rotational direction.
A non-rotatable coupling between the driving disk 48 and the driving device 30 is achieved by a coupling disk 49 which on one side sits on a flange 48b of the driving disk 48 and is non-rotatably connected to the driving disk 48 through the use of driving pins 49a that engage in driving bores 48c of the driving disk 48 and on the other side produces a non-rotatable coupling with the driving device 30 through the use of a connecting element 49b that is realized as a square shaft. The coupling disk 49 is mounted in a holding element 16a which is mounted onto the base plate 16.
An emergency release lever 50 which is provided for an emergency release function of the coupling device 100 abuts flatly against the base plate 16 and is mounted so as to be longitudinally displaceable through the use of the rotational axis 47a of leg spring 47 that is guided in a guide slot 50a, a limiting pin 50d being disposed additionally on the base plate 16 for longitudinal guidance.
In addition, one end of the emergency release lever 50 includes a flange 50c which is angled by approximately 90° and, when manually displaced longitudinally, moves from a rest position into operative contact with the entrainment device 46, the emergency release lever 50 being pretensioned in the direction of its rest position through the use of a spring element 51 that is realized as a return spring. At one end the return spring 51 is connected to a tab 50b on the other end of the emergency release lever 50 and at the other end it is connected to the base plate 16 through the use of a fixing pin 51a.
The customary method of operation of the coupling device 100 described up to now is to be explained below and entails that, with the vehicle door 3 dosed, that is when the dosing wedge holder 13 with the closing wedges 11 and 12 lies between the two holding wedges 21 and 24, in dependence on the vehicle speed the coupling device 100 is locked automatically through the use of the motorized driving device 30, for example an electric motor, i.e. the two closing wedges 11 and 12 are pressed into the two keyways 22 and 24 of the holding jaws 21 and 23 and the two coupling elements 10 and 20 are consequently transferred into the coupled state. An equally motorized release, that is a decoupling of the two coupling elements 10 and 20, is effected when an inside actuating lever of the coupling device 100 is actuated and, as a result, the two closing wedges 11 and 12 are pulled out of the keyways 22 and 24 by the return spring elements 14.
According to
The first position of the control disk 43, which corresponds to the decoupled state of the two coupling elements 10 and 20, is defined by the stop pin 44 abutting against one end of the arcuate control slot 43c. In addition, in the first position of the control disk 43, the control disk is non-rotatably coupled with the driving disk 48 through the use of the entrainment device 46, the entrainment device 46 being pretensioned by the leg spring 47 in such a manner that the locking bar 46b is pressed both into the latching device 48a of the driving disk 48 and into the latching device 43b of the control disk 43. The control disk 43 is pretensioned in opposition to the direction of rotation D1 through the use of the tension spring 45.
To lock the coupling device 100, the electric motor 30 is controlled such that the driving disk 48 moves in the direction of rotation D1, as a result of which the control disk 43, and as a result also the cam disk 41, is entrained in the same direction of rotation D1, that is in the direction of the 90° position. After rotating by approximately 90°, the stop pin 44 strikes against the other end of the control slot 43c, whereupon the control disk 43 has reached a second position in which the closing wedges 11 and 12 are pressed by the cam lugs 41a of the cam disk 41 into the keyways 22 and 24 of the two closing jaws 21 and 23. As a result of the non-rotatable coupling between the control disk 43 and the driving disk 48, the driving disk 48 is no longer able to rotate either such that on account of the rising motor current of the electric motor 30 that is realized as the driving device, it is switched off. On account of the self-locking of the electric motor 30, the tensioned tension spring 45 is not able to rotate the control disk 43 back into its first position. This situation is shown in
If the electric motor 30 receives a signal to release the coupling device 100, the coupling device is actuated in such a manner that the driving disk 48 is moved in opposition to the direction of rotation D1 such that on account of the coupling with the control disk 43, it is moved out of its second position into its first position according to
If the motorized driving device 30 fails in the locked state of the coupling device 100, the emergency release lever 50, which is connected to an inside actuating lever or a door handle of a usual vehicle door lock, serves for emergency release, as is explained below by way of
Proceeding from the coupled state of the two coupling elements 10 and 20 according to
The emergency release lever 50 is displaced back into its rest position by the return spring 51 and the spring force of the pretensioned tension spring 45 takes over the further rotating of the control disk 43 into its first position in which the stop pin 44 terminates the rotation at the end of the control slot 43c (cf.
Once the fault in the electric motor 30 has been eliminated, the coupling device 100 is locked in a motorized manner by the driving disk 48 being driven in the direction of rotation D1 by the electric motor 30 until the latching device 48a moves under the locking bar 46b such that the locking bar is able to latch into both the latching device 48a of the driving disk 48 and the latching device 43b of the control disk 43. The control disk 43 is consequently coupled with the driving disk 48 again and can once again be entrained into the second position by the driving disk for locking.
In order to ensure the locking bar 46b latches securely into the latching device 48a of the driving disk 48, the latching device 48a initially merges in the direction of rotation D1 into a lifting lug 48d which projects on the circumferential face of the driving disk 48 such that, as a result, the locking bar 46b is pivoted against the spring force of the leg spring 47 prior to latching into the latching device 48a.
All the components of the first coupling element 10 which exert a control function or actuating function, that is such as the closing wedges 11 and 12, the control disk 43, the entrainment device 46 and the emergency release lever 50, are pretensioned through the use of spring elements in the direction of their rest position which corresponds to the decoupled state of the coupling device 100 and consequently improves its operational reliability.
According to
The operative connecting device 40 includes components which are identical or extensively identical to those of the operative connecting device 40 of the above-described coupling device 100 (cf.
Thus, according to
The cam disk 41 according to
The rotation of the cam disk 41, which is non-rotatably connected to the cam shaft 42, is brought about by a control disk 43, which is also connected non-rotatably to the cam shaft 42 and includes substantially the same geometry as that from the above-described exemplary embodiment and also fulfills the same function. Just as already described above in conjunction with the first exemplary embodiment, the control disk 43 is connected through the use of an entrainment device 46 in a releasable manner to a driving disk 48 which, in turn, produces a rotation with a worm gear that is driven by the driving device 30, formed of an entrainment disk 80 that includes a worm wheel 81 and a worm 84.
The coupling of the control disk 43 with the driving disk 48 is effected through the use of the entrainment device 46 which is realized as a one-sided lever which is pivotably mounted on the control disk 43 through the use of the rotational axis 46a and is pressed by a leg spring 47 into a position in which a locking bar 46b, which is disposed on the other end, engages at the same time in a latching device 43b of the control disk 43 and a latching device 48a of the driving disk 48.
The cam disk 43 is connected to a tension spring 45 through the use of a return cable 45c, the return cable 45c being connected at one end to the control disk 43 through the use of a connecting pin 45b and at the other end to the tension spring 45 which is disposed in a spring dome 90. As can be seen in
As a result of the releasable coupling, realized by the entrainment device 46, between the control disk 43 and the driving disk 48, in the case of an initiated rotation of the same in the direction of rotation D1, the control disk 43 is entrained out of its first position, in which the cam disk 41 is situated in the 0° position, in the direction of is second position, whilst the cam disk 41 is rotated in the direction of its 90° position and at the same time the two closing wedges 11 and 12 are pressed apart from one another into the keyways 22 and 24 of the holding jaws 21 and 23.
The driving disk 48 is driven through the use of the worm gear already described, formed of the entrainment disk 80 with worm wheel 81 and the worm 84. The worm 84 is provided non-rotatably on a worm axle 84a and is connected through the use of a coupling 85 to the flexible shaft 87 which is guided to the driving device 30. A mounting bracket 86 serves for fixing the arrangement.
The entrainment disk 80 is formed of a worm wheel 81, which engages with the worm 84, and a spring attaching wheel 82, which produces a spring coupling between the driving wheel 48 and the worm wheel 81. A flange ring 81a holds the named parts together through the use of fastening screws 81b as entrainment disk 80. The entrainment disk 80 is rotatably mounted on a flange 48b of the driving disk 48 and is secured by a locking ring.
The spring coupling between the driving disk 48 and the spring attaching wheel 82 is explained by way of
A relative rotation of the spring attaching wheel 82 in relation to the driving disk 48 as far as up to a maximum rotation angle is made possible through the use of a connecting pin 88 which, at one end is connected fixedly to the driving disk 48 through the use of a receiving bore 48h and at the other end engages into a longitudinal groove 82a on the radial face of the spring attaching wheel 82. The longitudinal groove 82a is defined in each case by a semicircular end face which is adapted to the connecting pin 88 and defines the relative rotation of the driving disk 48 and of the spring attaching wheel 82 and consequently serves as a stop for the connecting pin 88. The longitudinal groove 82a includes a length which allows, for example, a relative rotation between the driving disk 48 and the spring attaching wheel 82 of, for example, 5°.
Driving of the entrainment disk 80 in the direction of rotation D0 brings about entrainment of the driving disk 48 in the same direction D1 when the resultant spring force of the two play-compensating springs 83a and 83b exceeds the frictional forces. When the rotation of the driving disk 48 is stopped, the entrainment disk 80 continues to be rotated against the spring force of the play-compensating springs 83a and 83b until the connecting pin 88 strikes against one of the end-face stop faces of the longitudinal groove 82a of the spring attaching wheel 82.
The spring coupling is used for play compensation that occurs during the coupled state of the two coupling elements 10 and 20 between the closing wedges 11 and 12 and the keyways 22 and 24 of the closing jaws 21 and 23 that receive them, as is explained below by way of
As already explained,
As a result of controlling the motorized driving device 30 in a corresponding manner, rotation of the entrainment disk 80 is brought about in the direction of rotation D0 through the use of the flexible shaft 87 and the worm 84 such that the driving disk 48 is entrained and the control disk 43 which is coupled with the driving disk is rotated out of its first position in the direction of rotation D1, as can be seen in
As a result of the relative rotation of the entrainment disk 80 in relation to the driving disk 48, a misalignment between the two markings M1 an M2 is generated, as can be seen from
For releasing the two coupling elements 10 and 20 in a motorized manner, the operation runs in the reverse direction, i.e. the driving device 30 is controlled in such a manner that the entrainment disk is moved out of the position according to
An emergency release function that is explained below by way of
The emergency release function is realized through the use of a release ring 70, which is rotatably mounted on a flange 46a of the control disk 46 and can be moved with the entrainment device 46 into an operative connection, and a toothed segment wheel 71, which is mounted through the use of a rotational axis 74a in a bearing block 74 and, according to
The release ring 70 includes a control cam 70a which, when the release ring pivots out of a rest position in opposition to the direction of rotation D1, moves into contact with the entrainment device 46, the locking bar 46b of which is locked with both the latching device 43b of the control disk 43 and with the latching device 48a of the driving disk 48 (cf.
Pivoting the release ring 70 out of its rest position is brought about through the use of the toothed segment wheel 71, which is held through the use of a leg spring 72 which is mounted on a flange 71b of the toothed segment wheel 71, in a first pivot position that corresponds to the rest position of the release ring 70. For releasing the control disk 43 from the driving disk 48, the toothed segment wheel 71 is connected through the use of a connecting pin 73a to a tension cable 73, which is guided by way of its other end on a door handle of the vehicle door, such that as a result of actuation of the door handle, the toothed segment wheel 71 is pivoted against the spring force of the angle spring 72 out of its first pivot position in the direction of rotation D2 into a second pivot position, as a result of which on account of the toothed segment transmission, the release ring 70 is pivoted in opposition to the direction of rotation D1 into an operating position and at the same time lifts the locking bar 46b out of the latching device 43b and 48b, as is shown in
From this position shown in
The geometry of the control cam 70a is matched in such a manner to the geometry of the entrainment device 74 as a one-sided lever that each position of the control disk 43, in each case, represents an operating position of the release ring 70 in which, in each case, the control wheel 43 is decoupled from the driving wheel 48 through the use of the toothed segment wheel 71. Consequently, between the first position of the control disk 43, which corresponds to the decoupled state of the two coupling elements 10 and 20, and its second position, which corresponds to the coupled state of the two coupling elements 10 and 20, the control disk 43 is decoupled from the driving disk 48 through the use of the control cam 70a, even in the first position of the control disk 43 which corresponds to the 0° position of the cam disk 41.
A displaceable toothed rod which is connected mechanically to the door handle of the vehicle door can also be used in place of the toothed segment wheel 71. When the door handle is actuated, the toothed rod is displaced such that, on account of the teeth meshing with the release ring 70, the release ring is moved in opposition to the direction of rotation D1 and, as a result, the entrainment device 46 is pivoted out of the latching device 43b of the control disk 43 and out of the latching device 48a of the driving disk 48.
Once a fault with regard to the driving device 30 has been eliminated, motorized locking has to be carried out following a manually effected release, that is after decoupling the two coupling elements 10 and 20. The operation is explained by way of
Proceeding from the state shown in
The state just before the latching device 48a runs under the locking bar 46b is shown in
The coupling device 100 according to
1 Vehicle body
2 B pillar of the vehicle body
2
a Mounting face of the B pillar 2
3 Vehicle door
4 Reinforcing element of the vehicle door 3
10 First coupling element
11 Closing wedge
11
a Side edge of the dosing wedge 11
11
b Wedge faces of the side edge 11a
11
c Groove for dosing wedge guiding element 15
11
d Closing lug of the dosing wedge 11
12 Closing wedge
12
a Side edge of the dosing wedge 12
12
b Wedge faces of the side edge 12a
12
c Groove for dosing wedge guiding element 15
12
d Closing lug of the closing wedge 12
13 Closing wedge holder
13
a Groove for closing wedge guiding element 15
13
b Passage openings of the closing wedge holder 13
13
c Central bore of the closing wedge holder 13
13
d End cap of the closing wedge holder 13
13
e Covering cap of the closing wedge holder 13
14 Return spring element
14
a Closing wedge damper
15 Closing wedge guiding element
16 Base plate
16
a Holder element
17 Panel
18 Mounting screws
20 Second coupling element
21 Holding jaw of the second coupling element 20
21
a Semicircular groove of the holding jaw 21
22 Keyway of the holding jaw 21
22
a Wedge faces of the keyway 22
23 Holding jaw of the second coupling element 20
24 Keyway of the holding jaw 23
24
a Wedge faces of the keyway 24
25 Base plate
26 Movable cover
30 Driving device
40 Operative connecting device
41 Cam disk
41
a Cam lug
42 Cam shaft
42
a Fastening screw
43 Control disk
43
a Range of the control disk 43
43
b Latching device of the control disk 43
43
c Control slot of the control disk 43
44 Stop device, stop pin for control disk 43
45 Spring element, tension spring
45
a Fixing pin of the spring element 45
45
b Connecting pin of the spring element 45 with control disk 43
45
c Return cable of the tension spring 45
46 Entrainment device
46
a Rotational axis of the entrainment device 46
46
b Locking bar of the entrainment device
47 Spring element, leg spring
47
a Rotational axis of the spring element 47
48 Driving disk
48
a Latching device of the driving disk 48
48
b Flange of the driving disk 48
48
c Entrainment bores of the driving disk 48
48
d Lifting lug of the latching device 48a
48
e Arcuate groove
48
f Arcuate groove
48
g Holding lug
48
h Receiving bore for connecting pin 88
49 Coupling disk
49
a Entrainment pin of the driving coupling 49
49
b Square axis, connecting element of the coupling disk 49
50 Emergency release lever
50
a Guiding slot of the emergency release lever 50
50
b Tab of the emergency release lever 50
50
c Angled flange of the emergency release lever 50
50
d Limiting pin of the emergency release lever 50
51 Spring element, return spring of the emergency release lever 50
51
a Fixing pin of the spring element 51
60 Housing
60
a Load attaching portion of the housing 60
61
a Housing pot of the housing 60
61
b Housing cover of the housing 60
62 Load attaching element of the housing 60
62
a Base plate of the load attaching element 62
63 Fastening screws
70 Release ring
70
a Control cam of the release ring
70
b Toothed segment of the release ring
71 Toothed segment element, toothed segment wheel, toothed rod
71
a Toothed segment of the toothed segment wheel 71
71
b Flange of the toothed segment wheel 71
72 Spring element, leg spring
73 Tension cable of the toothed segment wheel 71
73
a Connecting pin of the tension cable with toothed segment wheel 71
74 Bearing block of the toothed segment wheel 71
74
a Rotational axis of the toothed segment wheel 71
75 Guide roller
76 Bearing block of the guide roller 75
80 Entrainment disk
81 Worm wheel
81
a Range ring
81
b Fastening screws
82 Spring attaching wheel
82
a Longitudinal groove for connecting pin 88
82
b Arcuate groove
82
c Arcuate groove
82
d Holding lug
83
a Play-compensating spring element
83
b Play-compensating spring element
84 Worm
84
a Worm axis
85 Coupling
86 Mounting bracket
87 Flexible shaft
88 Connecting pin
90 Spring dome
100 Coupling device
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2012 011 420.6 | Jun 2012 | DE | national |
This application is a continuation, under 35 U.S.C. §120, of copending International Application No. PCT/EP2013/001681, filed Jun. 7, 2013, which designated the United States; this application also claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119, of German Patent Application No. DE 10 2012 011 420.6, filed Jun. 8, 2012; the prior applications are herewith incorporated by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | PCT/EP2013/001681 | Jun 2013 | US |
| Child | 14552476 | US |
