Patent Grant
12024938
This application is the U.S. National Phase of PCT Application No. PCT/EP2020/071904 filed on Aug. 4, 2020, which claims priority to German Patent Application No. DE 10 2019 121 094.1, filed on Aug. 5, 2019, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference herein.
The present disclosure relates to a spindle drive for a closure element of a motor vehicle.
Vehicles may include one or more closure elements that may be adjusted between open and closed positions to provide access to the vehicle's interior. The term “closure element” is to be understood broadly. It includes tailgates, trunk lids, engine hoods, side doors, sliding doors, or the like, of a motor vehicle.
The present disclosure is based on solving one or more problems of designing and developing a known spindle drive, described below, in such a way that it is further optimized with regard to the required installation space.
In one or more embodiments, a support sleeve is provided. The support sleeve may be configured such that during a drive movement from the retracted state into the extended state, is displaced in an axial direction, that is to say along the geometrical drive longitudinal axis of the spindle drive, in such a way that, in the extended state or even before the extended state is reached, said support sleeve mechanically reinforces the axial region in which the spindle nut is then located. In this case, the support sleeve in the extended state, compared with the retracted state, has been axially displaced relative to both drive connections. As a result, it is no longer necessary for each drive connection to be assigned its own sleeve which is fixed in each case axially relative thereto and which has to overlap with the sleeve assigned to the respectively other drive connection in the extended state. As a result, the axial region around the spindle nut can be optimally reinforced in the extended state using only a single sleeve, namely said support sleeve. As an example, this has the effect that optimal buckling resistance in relation to a buckling axis orthogonal to the drive longitudinal axis is achieved in this region, specifically without the need for two sleeves which overlap in this region.
By dispensing with a corresponding overlap region of two overlapping sleeves, it is possible to reduce the radial dimensions of the spindle drive. Furthermore, it may be possible for any outer housing to have a mechanically weak design. It is however also possible for an outer housing to be omitted entirely, as a result of which the dimensions in the radial direction can be further reduced. A reduction in the dimensions correspondingly also makes it possible for the installation space, required for the installation, in the motor vehicle to be smaller. Moreover, the reduced dimensions also have the effect of reducing the weight of the spindle drive.
As an example, it is proposed for the spindle drive to have a support sleeve which, in the extended state, radially surrounds the spindle nut and which is mounted in such a way that it is axially displaced relative to both drive connections during a drive movement from the retracted state into the extended state.
In one or more embodiments, the adjustment travel path along which the one drive connection or drive portion is adjusted in relation to the other drive connection or drive portion during the drive movement from the retracted state into the extended state to be divided into at least two or two travel path sections, and, during the drive movement, the support sleeve is displaced in relation to the spindle-side drive connection only in one of the travel path sections and is stationary in relation to this drive connection in another one of the travel path sections. As an example, the support sleeve is stationary in a first travel path section of the adjustment travel path and is axially displaced in an adjoining, second travel path section. In this case, the first travel path section is the travel path section of the adjustment travel path that is passed through first. The second travel path section is correspondingly passed through subsequently. As another example, it is however also possible for the support sleeve to be axially displaced in a first travel path section and be stationary in an adjoining, second travel path section.
According to one or more embodiments, the proposed spindle drive has a spindle guide tube and/or a torsion tube. The spindle guide tube connects the spindle nut in an axially fixed manner to the spindle nut-side drive connection and serves for the axial guidance of the spindle during the drive movements. The torsion tube is axially fixed relative to the drive connection of the drive portion to which the spindle is assigned, and serves firstly for the axial guidance of the spindle nut and secondly as an anti-twist safeguard between the spindle nut and the drive portion to which the spindle is assigned. The spindle guide tube and/or the torsion tube may be radially supported in the support sleeve, against the latter, in the extended state.
In one or more embodiments, the support sleeve may include first and a second support bearings, and the first and second support bearings may be configured to radially support the spindle guide tube and/or torsion tube on the support sleeve.
In one or more embodiments, the spindle guide tube may include a driver which, during the drive movement from the retracted state into the extended state, axially engages, in particular in a positively locking and/or force-fitting manner, with a driver counter piece on the support sleeve, as a result of which the support sleeve can be carried along over the second travel path section of the adjustment travel path, that is to say can therefore be axially displaced.
In another embodiment, the torsion tube may include a stop piece which, during the drive movement from the retracted state into the extended state, axially engages, for example, in a positively locking and/or force-fitting manner, with a stop counter piece on the support sleeve, as a result of which the support sleeve cannot be moved beyond the first travel path section.
In one or more embodiments, a covering sleeve has a driver which, during the drive movement from the retracted state into the extended state, axially engages, for example, in a positively locking and/or force-fitting manner, with a driver counter piece on the support sleeve, as a result of which the support sleeve can be carried along over the second travel path section of the adjustment travel path.
According to a further embodiment, which is of independent significance, a closure element arrangement of a motor vehicle, including a closure element for closing a closure element opening of the motor vehicle and comprising a spindle drive, which is coupled to the closure element on the one hand and the rest of the motor vehicle on the other hand, for motorized adjustment of the closure element, is claimed. In addition to the proposed spindle drive, a gas pressure spring for aiding the drive movement of the closure element into its open position may be provided. Reference may be made to all comments in relation to the proposed spindle drive.
The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing illustrating merely exemplary embodiments. In the drawing
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may 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.
The illustration of
A known spindle drive is provided in DE 10 2015 106 356 A1, which provides motorized adjustment of a tailgate of a motor vehicle. The spindle drive has a drive unit and a spindle-spindle nut transmission, which is arranged downstream of the drive unit in terms of drive, for generating drive movements. The spindle drive has two drive portions having a respective drive connection for channeling out the drive movements. The drive connections can be adjusted, by means of the drive unit, that is to say in a motorized manner, in relation to one another, between a retracted state and an extended state, over an adjustment travel path along a geometrical drive longitudinal axis. The retracted state and the extended state correspond in this case to the end positions of the spindle drive. The closure element is thus in its completely closed position, referred to hereinafter as closed position, in the retracted state and in its maximally open position, referred to hereinafter as open position, in the extended state. The spindle is connected in an axially fixed manner to the one drive connection by way of the drive unit, and the spindle nut is connected in an axially fixed manner to the other drive connection by way of a spindle guide tube. A torsion tube which is axially fixed relative to the drive unit and spindle and in which the spindle nut is axially guided and secured against twisting is also provided. A spring arrangement comprising a helical compression spring is also provided, which preloads the two drive connections in relation to one another in the direction of the extended state of the spindle drive.
No outer housing is provided in the known spindle drive, and so the helical compression spring and, at least in the extended state, the spindle guide tube and the torsion tube are at least partially exposed in relation to the environment. Provided in the radial interspace between the helical compression spring on the one hand and the torsion tube and spindle guide tube on the other hand are two sleeves which run axially inside one another, one of which is axially fixed relative to the one drive connection and the other of which is axially fixed relative to the other drive connection. The two sleeves, which each have elongate, claw-like protuberances here, overlap in an axial portion in the extended state, as a result of which the mechanical stability of the spindle drive in this state is increased. Due to the omission of an outer housing, the spindle drive takes up less installation space, but can be further optimized with regard to its external dimensions, especially in the radial direction.
The spindle drive 1 has a drive unit 3 which, may include a drive motor 4 and an intermediate transmission 5 which is arranged downstream of the drive motor 4 in terms of drive. In addition or as an alternative to the intermediate transmission 5, the drive unit 3 may also have a brake and/or coupling arrangement (not illustrated).
A spindle-spindle nut transmission 6 comprising a spindle 7 and a spindle nut 8, which is in meshing engagement with the spindle 7 in a manner known per se, is in turn arranged downstream of the drive unit 3 in terms of drive. The spindle-spindle nut transmission 6 serves for the generation of drive movements. The spindle drive 1 has two drive portions 9, 10 which are equipped with a respective drive connection 11, 12 for channeling out the drive movements. In this case, the drive portion 9 is coupled by way of the drive connection 11 to the closure element 2, and the drive portion 10 is coupled by way of the drive connection 12 to the rest of the motor vehicle. By means of the drive unit 3, the two drive connections 11, 12 can be adjusted, in a manner known per se, in relation to one another, between a retracted state and an extended state which is illustrated in
For this, the spindle 7 is assigned to the one drive portion 10 and is axially fixed relative to the drive connection 12 of this drive portion 10. Here, the spindle 7 is connected in an axially fixed manner to the drive connection 12 by way of the drive unit 3. The spindle nut 8 is in turn assigned to the other drive portion 9 and is axially fixed relative to the drive connection 11 of this drive portion 9. Here, the spindle nut 8 is connected in an axially fixed manner to the drive connection 11 by way of a spindle guide tube 14. Here, the drive portion 10 to which the spindle 7 is assigned also has a torsion tube 15 in which the spindle nut 8 is axially guided and which provides an anti-twist safeguard between the spindle nut 8 and the drive portion 10 to which the spindle 7 is assigned. In this case, the spindle guide tube 14 and/or the torsion tube 15 are/is made, for example, of metal or a plastics material.
Here, the term “axially fixed” is to be interpreted broadly and also comprises a coupling with axial play. Here, the term “axially” always relates to the direction of extent of the drive longitudinal axis 13. Correspondingly, the term “radially” always relates to a direction orthogonal to the direction of extent of the drive longitudinal axis 13.
Furthermore, to produce an axial preload, with respect to the drive longitudinal axis 13, of the two drive portions 9, 10 in relation to one another, a spring arrangement comprising a helical spring may also be provided, which then preloads the spindle drive 1 into the extended state. It is also conceivable to provide a spring arrangement comprising a helical spring which preloads the spindle drive 1 in the direction of the retracted state. Here, however, such a spring arrangement has been omitted.
It is also conceivable for the proposed spindle drive 1 to have an outer housing with two housing parts which are guided telescopically inside one another and which, in the retracted and in the extended state of the spindle drive 1, completely cover the spindle 7, the spindle nut 8, the spindle guide tube 14 and/or the torsion tube 15, and, if a spring arrangement that preloads the two drive portions 9, 10 in relation to one another is present, this spring arrangement, in a radially outward direction. In addition or alternatively, the drive unit 3 may also be arranged radially within such an outer housing. The one housing part is then axially fixed relative to the one drive connection 11, and the other housing part is axially fixed relative to the other drive connection 12, respectively. Here, such an outer housing has been omitted.
In the case of the proposed spindle drive 1, the spindle drive may include a support sleeve 16 which, in the extended state, radially surrounds the spindle nut 8 and which is mounted in such a way that it is axially displaced relative to both drive connections 11, 12 during a drive movement from the retracted state into the extended state. The support sleeve 16, which is made, for example, of metal or a plastics material, is thus at a respectively greater axial spacing from the drive connection 11 and the drive connection 12 in the extended state than in the retracted state of the spindle drive 1. What is meant by a support sleeve is a tubular component that can absorb a radial load. The component may include an uninterrupted circumferential contour over its entire axial extent, it however also fundamentally being conceivable for the component to have one or more axial apertures in at least one axial portion, for example, axial end portion.
Such a support sleeve 16 increases the buckling resistance in the axial region of the spindle nut 8 in the extended state, which is particularly advantageous in the case of the exemplary embodiments illustrated here, which have no additional outer housing.
The exemplary embodiments of
By contrast, in the exemplary embodiments of
In all the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the figures, it is also the case that, in the extended state of the spindle drive 1, the support sleeve 16 is located in an axial region in which the spindle nut 8 is also located within the support sleeve 16. This axial arrangement of the support sleeve 16 relative to the spindle nut 8 allows components of the spindle drive 1 to be radially supported on the support sleeve 16, as is explained in more detail further below, which ensures the increase in the buckling resistance in this region in the extended state. To this end, the support sleeve 16 axially extends over a certain region on both sides of the spindle nut 8 when the spindle drive 1 is in the extended state. The axial portion of the support sleeve 16, that extends in the axial direction on the one side of the spindle nut 8, may be at least substantially as large as the axial portion of the support sleeve 16 that axially extends on the other side of the spindle nut 8. In that case, in the extended state of the spindle drive 1, the spindle nut 8 is thus arranged substantially in the middle of the support sleeve 16 with respect to the axial direction. However, the spindle nut 8 may also be arranged so as to be axially offset with respect to the middle of the support sleeve 16 in the extended state.
Here as an example, the spindle guide tube 14 and/or the torsion tube 15 are/is radially supported in the support sleeve 16, against the latter, in the extended state, as shown by
To enable such a supporting action, a first support bearing 17 and a second support bearing 18 may be provided on the support sleeve 16. In this case, the first and/or second support bearing 17, 18 may be a separate element which is connected, for example, in a cohesive, positively locking and/or force-fitting manner, to the rest of the support sleeve 16, for example, to a tubular portion of the support sleeve 16. However, in principle, the first and/or second support bearing 17, 18 may also be formed in one piece with the rest of the support sleeve 16.
The first and/or second support bearing 17, 18 is formed by a radially inner surface of the support sleeve 16. This surface may be a planar or a non-planar surface. For instance, it is for example conceivable for the surface to be formed as an internal thread in the region of the respective support bearing 17, 18, for example, of the first support bearing 17, the internal thread then interacting in a meshing manner with a corresponding external thread of the tube 14, 15, for example, spindle guide tube 14, which is radially supported on the, for example, twistable, support sleeve 16.
The first and/or second support bearing 17, 18 may include one or more radially inwardly protruding portions which form the radially inner surface of the support sleeve 16, but may also be aligned with the rest of the radially inner surface of the support sleeve 16. Provision may be made for the inner diameter of the support sleeve 16 in the axial region of the first and/or second support bearing 17, 18 to be smaller than in the axial region between the first and second support bearing 17, 18, or for the inner diameter of the support sleeve 16 in the axial region of the first and/or second support bearing 17, 18 to be identical to that in the axial region between the first and second support bearing 17, 18.
Here as an example, it is the case that the support sleeve 16 has two support bearings 17, 18 which are axially spaced apart from one another, of which the first support bearing 17 is configured to radially support the spindle guide tube 14 on the support sleeve 16 and/or of which the second support bearing 18 is configured to radially support the torsion tube 15 on the support sleeve 16. The radial support is in each case a direct support, as a result of which the respective tube 14, 15 bears, for example, sealingly, directly against the respective support bearing 17, 18.
As already explained above, it is provided in the exemplary embodiments of
By contrast, in the further embodiment shown in
In both the embodiment of
In order to conjointly move the support sleeve 16 over the first travel path section s1, as an example, the support sleeve 16 is preloaded, here in the retracted state and in the extended state, in the direction of the drive movement from the retracted state into the extended state and/or in the direction from the drive connection 12 of the drive portion 10 to which the spindle 7 is assigned, relative to the drive connection 11 of the other drive portion 9. As an example, the preload is provided by a spring arrangement 26 comprising at least one spring 27, for example, a compression or tension spring. The spring arrangement 26 may be arranged between the drive unit 3 and the support sleeve 16, for example, the second support bearing 18. In this case, the one spring end of the spring 27 pointing upward in
In addition or alternatively, at least one magnet arrangement and/or latching arrangement may be provided (not illustrated) which, during the drive movement from the retracted state into the extended state, retains the support sleeve 16 on the drive connection 11 of the drive portion 9 to which the spindle nut 8 is assigned, or on the spindle guide tube 14, when the first travel path section s1 is being passed through and which releases the connection between the support sleeve 16 and this drive connection 11 and/or spindle guide tube 14 as soon as the second travel path section s2 is passed through during the drive movement from the retracted state into the extended state. In addition or alternatively, at least one magnet arrangement and/or latching arrangement may also be provided (not illustrated) which, during the drive movement from the retracted state into the extended state, retains the support sleeve 16 on the torsion tube 15 when the second travel path section s2 is being passed through and which releases the connection between the support sleeve 16 and the torsion tube 15 as soon as the first travel path section s1 is passed through during the drive movement from the extended state into the retracted state.
In the embodiment in
According to the embodiments in
In addition or alternatively, it may be provided, as here, that the stop counter piece 25 is formed by one or more radially inwardly protruding, for example, elastic, portions of the support sleeve 16. In the embodiment of
In the exemplary embodiments of
As an example, the covering sleeve 35 also serves to axially carry along the support sleeve 16 over the second travel path section s2 of the adjustment travel path s during the drive movement from the retracted state into the extended state. The covering sleeve 35 thus performs the function of the spindle guide tube 14 of
For this purpose, as an example, it is the case that the covering sleeve 35 has a driver 38 which, during the drive movement from the retracted state (
In the embodiment of
However, it may also be provided that the driver 38 is formed by one or more radially outwardly set-back portions of the covering sleeve 35, and/or the driver counter piece 39 is formed by one or more radially outwardly protruding, for example, elastic, portions of the support sleeve 16.
In this case,
According to the embodiment in
According to the embodiment in
According to a further teaching, which is of independent significance, a closure element arrangement of a motor vehicle, comprising a closure element 2 for closing a closure element opening 48 of the motor vehicle and comprising a proposed spindle drive 1, which is coupled to the closure element 2 on the one hand and the rest of the motor vehicle on the other hand, for motorized adjustment of the closure element 2, is claimed. Reference may be made to all comments in relation to the proposed spindle drive 1.
In this respect, as an example, it is the case that, in addition to the proposed spindle drive 1, the closure element arrangement comprises at least one gas pressure spring 49 which is coupled to the closure element 2 on the one hand and the rest of the motor vehicle on the other hand. This at least one gas pressure spring 49 serves for aiding a drive movement of the closure element 2 into its open position.
The following is a list of reference numbers shown in the Figures. However, it should be understood that the use of these terms is for illustrative purposes only with respect to one embodiment. And, use of reference numbers correlating a certain term that is both illustrated in the Figures and present in the claims is not intended to limit the claims to only cover the illustrated embodiment.
While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2019 121 094.1 | Aug 2019 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2020/071904 | 8/4/2020 | WO |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO2021/023742 | 2/11/2021 | WO | A |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3801085 | Sandor | Apr 1974 | A |
| 7416237 | Kachouch | Aug 2008 | B1 |
| 7665794 | Kachouh | Feb 2010 | B2 |
| 9605735 | Missler | Mar 2017 | B2 |
| 9689188 | Fischer | Jun 2017 | B2 |
| 9976332 | Scheuring | May 2018 | B2 |
| 20070296243 | Borrmann | Dec 2007 | A1 |
| 20080060273 | Bochen | Mar 2008 | A1 |
| 20080061643 | Bochen | Mar 2008 | A1 |
| 20090120003 | Bochen | May 2009 | A1 |
| 20100186528 | Hillen | Jul 2010 | A1 |
| 20160144694 | Shchokin | May 2016 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 102007027219 | Jan 2008 | DE |
| 102011122051 | Jun 2012 | DE |
| 102015106356 | Jun 2016 | DE |
| 2018025709 | Feb 2018 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20220282544 A1 | Sep 2022 | US |
