Patent Application
20240151274
The present disclosure relates to powered vehicle closures and more specifically drive systems for opening and closing the closure.
Vehicles may include one or more closures, such as, hatches, doors, tailgates, liftgates. Certain closures are powered to close automatically. Vehicles generally include a seal or other type of weather proofing barrier positioned between the closure and the vehicle body to mitigate external elements such as moisture, precipitation, dirt, debris, and noise from entering the interior of the vehicle.
According to one embodiment, a drive system for a vehicle closure includes a drive unit having a first coupler supported for rotation about a first longitudinal axis. The first coupler defines a receptacle. A second coupler has a first side and a second side configured to engage with a hinge component of a vehicle and is supported for a rotation about a second longitudinal axis that is parallel to and offset from the first axis. A driveshaft extends between the first and second couplers at an angled orientation relative to the first and second axes. The driveshaft has a first end connected to the first coupler and a second end connected to the first side of the second coupler. The first end defines a plurality of engaging surfaces that are arcuate in a direction parallel to a third longitudinal axis of the driveshaft and are circumferentially arranged around the third axis such that the engaging surfaces are joined to each other at edges that are arcuate in the direction parallel to the third axis, wherein the first end is received in the receptacle of the first coupler with the engaging surfaces disposed against sides of the receptacle such that the engaging surfaces are configured rock on the sides to permit an angle between the driveshaft and first coupler.
According to another embodiment, a drive system for a vehicle closure includes a drive unit having a motor operatable connected to a coupler with a first longitudinal axis. The coupler defines a polygon-shaped receptacle having a plurality of sides arrayed around the first longitudinal axis and circumferentially interconnected to form a plurality of inside corners extending parallel to the first axis. A driveshaft has a second longitudinal axis that is angled relative to the first longitudinal axis. The driveshaft includes a central portion and a first ball end arranged along the second longitudinal axis. The first ball end has a tip, a neck joined to the central portion, and defines a plurality of engaging surfaces that are arcuate in a direction parallel to the second longitudinal axis and are circumferentially arranged around the second axis such that the engaging surfaces are joined to each other at arcuate edges that extend between the neck and the tip. Wherein, the first ball end is received in the receptacle with the engaging surfaces disposed against the sides and the arcuate edges received in the inside corners to rotationally fix the driveshaft to the coupler, and wherein each of the engaging surface includes at least a first portion and a second portion that are longitudinal spaced from each other such that, when the driveshaft is in a first angled position relative to the first longitudinal axis, the first portion is in contact with a corresponding one of the sides while the second portion is not in contact with the corresponding side.
According to yet another embodiment, a vehicle closure system includes a vehicle closure pivotally attachable to a vehicle body, the closure including panels defining an interior. A first coupler is supported in one of the panels of the closure for rotation about a first axis. A brace is disposed in the interior such that the first axis extends through the brace. A drive system is configured to pivot the closure relative to the vehicle body and is disposed in the interior. The drive system has a motor and a second coupler operably coupled to the motor. The second coupler is supported for rotation about a second axis that is parallel to and vertically offset from the first axis such that the second axis does not extend through the brace. A driveshaft is angled to extend between the first and second axes and having a first end wobbably connected to the first coupler and a second end wobbably connected to the second coupler.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are described herein. It is to be understood, however, that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples and other embodiments can take various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features could be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. As those of ordinary skill in the art will understand, various features illustrated and described with reference to any one of the figures can be combined with features illustrated in one or more other figures to produce embodiments that are not explicitly illustrated or described. The combinations of features illustrated provide representative embodiments for typical applications. Various combinations and modifications of the features consistent with the teachings of this disclosure, however, could be desired for particular applications or implementations.
Vehicles include many different components that are movable relative to each other. For example, a vehicle includes body and a variety of closures such as doors, tailgates, liftgates, etc. depending on the type of vehicle. One or more of these closures may be automatically opened, closed, or both. A latch is used to secure the closure closed. A seal is typically provided on the body, the closure, or both to seal the cabin from the elements. A closure may be described as having an open position, a partially closed position in which the latch is in contact with a striker of the closure and the closure is resting on the seal, and a fully closed position in which the latch is locked and the seal is compressed. This disclosure presents a drive-system capable of pivoting a vehicle closure, e.g., a tailgate.
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As will be described in more detail below, the closure 28 is configured to automatically open and/or close. The closure may include an actuator, such as an electric motor, that pivots the closure between the open and closed positions. The vehicle may include an input, e.g., a button, located within the passenger cabin, on a key fob, etc., that when pressed, commands actuation of the closure.
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A second coupler 64 is disposed in the sidewall 34 and may be supported by a bearing. The second coupler 64 is supported for rotation about a second axis 62 that is parallel to an offset from the axis 58 by a distance or offset (0). The coupler 64 is configured to engage with a component that is rotationally fixed to the body 22 of the vehicle. For example, the coupler includes a first side 66 that connects to the component of the vehicle 20 in a manner known in the art. A second side 68 of the coupler 64 provides a connection for a driveshaft 70 that extends between the coupler 60 and 68 to operably couple the coupler 68 to the actuator 56. The driveshaft 70 may include a first end 74 operably coupled to the coupler 60 and a second end 76 operably coupled to the coupler 64.
The driveshaft 70 is angled to avoid the bracket 72. Due to the size of the drive unit 50, the output axis 58 extends through the bracket 72. Thus, in order to connect with the coupler 64, which is on the opposite side of the bracket 72, the driveshaft 70 has to angle downwardly from the first coupler 60 to the second coupler 64. The driveshaft 70 must be rotationally fixed to both couplers 60 and 64 in order to pivot the closure 28. Normally, a spline connection is used. However, that is not possible in this design due to the angle of the driveshaft. To accommodate this angle, at least one of the couplers, and in the illustrated embodiment both of the couplers, have a wobble connection between the coupler and end of the driveshaft. The wobble connection provides the necessary rotational fixing while allowing an angle between the driveshaft and the axes of rotation 58 and 62.
The coupler 60 may define a receptacle 80 that receives the end 74 therein and the coupler 64 may define a receptacle 82 that receives the end 76 therein. The receptacles and the ends may be sized and shaped to form the wobble connection(s). The wobble connections may be configured as constant velocity connections in which the coupler and the driveshaft have a same velocity is each other.
In the above closure 28, the driveshaft is grounded to the vehicle by the coupler 64 and does not rotate. Instead, the housing 54 and the actuator 56 rotate with the closure about the axis 58 to pivot the closure 28 open and close. That is, the driveshaft is fixed to the vehicle and the actuator is fixed to the closure.
The following figures and associated text describe examples of the driveshaft 70 and the couplers 60, 64.
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The first ball end 104 has a tip 110 and a neck 112 joined to the central portion 102. The first end 104 defines a plurality of engaging surfaces 114 that are arcuate in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis 108 and are circumferentially arranged around the axis 108 such that the engaging surfaces 114 are joined to each other at arcuate edges 116 that extend between the neck and the tip. The number of engaging surfaces 114 and arcuate edges 116 may match the sides 103 and edges 105 of the central portion. In the illustrated embodiment, the first end 104 has six engaging surfaces 114 and six arcuate edges 116. The engaging surfaces 114 are circumferentially aligned with the sides 103 and the arcuate edges 116 are circumferentially aligned with the edges 105. The second end 106 may be the same as the first end 104 and will not be explained again for brevity. The receptacles of both couplers may also be the same.
The first ball end 104 is received in the receptacle 122 with the engaging surfaces 114 disposed against the sides 124 and the arcuate edges 116 received in the inside corners 126 to rotationally fix the driveshaft 100 to the coupler 60 while permitting and angle between the receptacle 122 and the ball end 104 of driveshaft.
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While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms encompassed by the claims. The words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. As previously described, the features of various embodiments can be combined to form further embodiments of the invention that may not be explicitly described or illustrated. While various embodiments could have been described as providing advantages or being preferred over other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more desired characteristics, those of ordinary skill in the art recognize that one or more features or characteristics can be compromised to achieve desired overall system attributes, which depend on the specific application and implementation. These attributes can include, but are not limited to strength, durability, marketability, appearance, packaging, size, serviceability, weight, manufacturability, ease of assembly, etc. As such, embodiments described as less desirable than other embodiments or prior art implementations with respect to one or more characteristics are not outside the scope of the disclosure and can be desirable for particular applications.
