DE102006040211B4 - Stepless braking and locking device for sliding or swiveling components - Google Patents

Abstract

Braking and locking device, comprising: - a fixed, first component (3) and a displaceable or pivotable second component (4) which is mounted movably for this purpose; - A threaded spindle (1) which can be connected to the first component (3) and the second component (4); - A nut (2) which is in engagement with the threaded spindle (1) and can be fastened to the first component (3) or second component (4); and - a rheological rotary damper (6) which dampens the threaded spindle (1).

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a continuously variable braking and locking device for displaceable or pivotable components, in particular a stepless door brake and lock, as used for example in motor vehicle doors.

State of the art

Conventional latching door brakes or door latches currently represent the most widespread type of door brakes or locks, especially in the middle and lower market segment. In high-end vehicles, however, continuously variable door brakes have been used for some years, the vehicle doors in any desired position, d. H. can hold in any door opening angle.

The advantages of a continuously variable door brake are that a more precise, exactly predetermined door movement is possible. There is no more abutment in tight parking spaces or in the garage and even in an inclined vehicle position and wind attack, the door can not hit back unintentionally and thus cause injury. In the same way, there is no swinging back the door at too fast opening. Another advantage consists in an end cushioning of the door and the fact that there are no unwanted door movements by sliding into door locks.

In the DE 202 01 320 U1 For example, for locking locking elements via a spur gear teeth are positively connected. The number of locking positions thus depends on the pitch of the teeth, a stepless lock is not possible. The disc springs used for detent cause the pivoting operation also a frictional force on the locking elements, which inevitably leads to wear. The spring forces are also difficult to regulate.

From the DE 14 59 182 C , of the DE 25 55 062 C3 or the DE 35 19 203 C2 For example, it is known to use for braking or brakes of vehicle doors instead of locking devices, a piston-cylinder unit in which a spring-biased blocking valve controls the volume exchange of a damping medium between two separated by the piston working chambers of the cylinder. The blocking valve opens with a sufficiently large introduction of force when opening the door and closes when falling below a certain speed of movement of the door. In the intermediate area only a smaller door movement force is required, which must overcome the damping force of the blocking valve. The disadvantage here is that the valve closure forces are realized by springs and thus the door holding force in the locked state depends on their fixed force characteristic. If a limit force is exceeded, the door brake may fail. In addition, a possible hydraulic or electromechanical door drive can only be realized with considerable effort, since an additional pump or an electromechanical drive is necessary, which increase the necessary space, are maintenance-intensive and increase the production costs.

From the DE 42 24 132 C2 On the other hand, a door-locking system is known in which a piston-cylinder system acts as a rheological damper in translational direction. That is, the movement of the door is transmitted to a translationally moving piston which moves in a cylinder filled with rheological fluid and in this case can be braked in its movement by shearing, which depends on a field voltage applied to the fluid. The cylinder is divided by the piston in two separate, possibly connected via a blocking valve working spaces that can be connected to a hydraulic drive unit and thus enable fully automatic operation of the door. The disadvantage of this solution is on the one hand that the piston-cylinder system requires relatively much space due to the damping of a translational movement. In addition, a drive is only complicated by an additional hydraulic circuit realized here, which also brings the disadvantages mentioned above with it.

The DE 197 54 167 A1 again describes a device for stepless locking, in which a working with rheological fluid translational damper or a rotary damper is used to Türarretierung. The connection of the damper with the door will not be described in detail.

In the DE 102 11 139 A1 a rotary or translational damper is described for Türarretierung in which at an outer periphery of a piston impregnated with electroviscous fluid, porous and elastic brake member can slide along a wavy piston wall along and hardens upon application of a voltage, the brake member and by increasing positive engagement with the wall Sliding movement impedes or prevents, whereby the piston is braked or locked. A similar principle is used in the US Pat. No. 6,202,806 B1 proposed. The disadvantage here is the friction occurring due to the variable fit of the brake member, which can lead to wear.

Presentation of the invention

It is the object of the present invention to develop a braking and locking device for displaceable or pivotable components, in particular motor vehicle doors, which eliminates the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and at the same time a continuous opening and closing of the component with the least possible effort allows the user as well as a secure locking of the component in any sliding or pivoting position.

This object is achieved by a braking and locking device with the features of claim 1.

Further advantageous embodiments will be apparent from the other claims.

The braking and locking device according to the invention comprises a fixed first component and a second component movably mounted, displaceable or pivotable for this purpose. Furthermore, a threaded spindle which can be connected to the first and second component is provided, as well as a nut which is engaged therewith and can be fastened to the first or second component and a rheological rotary damper which damps the threaded spindle. Since the threaded spindle can rotate continuously during the relative movement between the first component and the second component, a stepless braking and locking device is realized in this way. The advantage of the rheological rotary damper is that the damping due to shear forces in the rheological fluid hardly causes signs of wear on the components of the device.

Preferably, the rheological damping can be set arbitrarily in operation by applying a suitable voltage. Such an electrorheological damper is previously known as a component and allows almost any force characteristics that can be used to dampen the relative movement between the first component and the second component or for stepless fixation of the components to each other.

According to a preferred embodiment, the threaded spindle is not self-locking in cooperation with the mother, so that a manual operation of the device is possible at any time. In this case, with manual operation, the threaded spindle rotates in the nut and in the rheological rotary damper.

Furthermore, the brake and locking device preferably comprises a roller bearing, via which the threaded spindle with that component is rotatably and pivotally connected to which the nut is not fixedly mounted. Thus, no additional forces acting on the threaded spindle, which can occur due to torques during pivoting of the second component relative to the first component.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the braking and locking device comprises a drive motor, which is in operative connection with the threaded spindle. In other words, a drive motor is provided, the drive shaft is torsionally rigid either directly or via an intermediate gear connected to the threaded spindle. This allows both a motor support with manual sliding or pivoting movement of the second component relative to the first component as well as a fully automatic execution of the movement. An intermediate gear has the additional advantage that even a small, fast-rotating electric motor can be used, since it can transmit the required torque to the drive spindle via a suitable reduction gear. Another advantage is that the engine can be located in a suitable space away from the rotating spindle, if necessary.

Brief description of the drawings

1 shows a schematic view of an embodiment of the braking and locking device of the present invention; and

2 schematically shows a possible application of the braking and locking device of the invention.

Ways to carry out the invention

In 1 an embodiment of the braking and locking device according to the invention is shown. The entire device consists of a threaded spindle 1 , a mother 2 , an electrorheological rotary damper 6 and a drive motor 7 ,

The spindle 1 is preferably made of hardened metal with a low abrasion tendency and may be a standard product. Depending on the application, the spindle can be adjusted in terms of the forces to be transmitted, but also on the speed of the opening and closing movement. As a thread type, for example, a trapezoidal thread can be used, which is one or more continuous.

The spindle 1 is about the mother 2 with the body shop 3 a motor vehicle and a rolling bearing 5 with a door 4 connected. The connections can rotate and be designed pivotally. In the embodiment according to 1 is the mother 2 connected to the body shell of a motor vehicle, whereas in the door 4 as a relatively pivotable component, the rolling bearing 5 is arranged. In the same way, it is of course also possible to connect the nut with the component to be pivoted and to provide the rolling bearing on the fixed component.

By operating the motor 7 becomes the spindle 1 rotated in one of the two desired directions of rotation and so through the nut attached to the body 2 moves, causing the door 4 is opened or closed. The engine unit 7 can consist of a motor and a gear unit. In this way, torque and opening speed can be more precisely tailored to the needs via a suitable gear construction.

Because the spindle or the design of the on the spindle 1 located thread is designed so that the spindle is non-self-locking, the spindle can also with manual operation of the door 4 in the mother 2 to be turned around. In this way it is possible to manually operate the door without providing a drive motor or even in spite of the presence of the drive motor.

The rotary damper 6 is designed as an electrorheological rotary damper and filled with a liquid whose viscosity is variable. By applying a selectable voltage can be the damping behavior of the rotary damper 6 vary and so realize almost any force characteristics, so that the damping effect can be controlled arbitrarily on the spindle and a stepless lock can be achieved. The rotary damper 6 surrounds the spindle 1 completely and is suitably sealed against the rotating spindle passed therethrough. The preselectable for the change of the damping behavior voltage is determined by a control electronics, not shown, which is in communication with sensors for detecting the force acting on the door acceleration and force values. Thus, for example, when exceeding a certain speed of movement of the displaceable or pivotable second component relative to the fixed, first component by the control electronics stronger attenuation can be caused. When the door brakes (negative acceleration), a solidification of the rheological damping fluid and thus a secure locking of the door can be achieved.

Although based on the 1 as a concrete embodiment, the use of the braking and locking device has been explained on a motor vehicle door, the invention is also applicable to sliding doors or tailgates in motor vehicles, luggage compartment flaps in buses and generally on flaps in or on the vehicle, which is held or controlled in a specific open position should be opened and closed.

In 2 For example, an application is shown in which the braking and locking device is used for a pivoting glove box flap. The glove box 11 is located in an instrument panel 10 and is divided into several subjects. Since the in 2 not shown braking and locking device in any intermediate positions between the closed position 12 and fully open position 13 can be locked, only desired subjects of the glove box can be made accessible. In addition, the adjustable damping prevents the passenger unexpectedly hit the flap on his knees. Further, in the fully open position, the secure lock allows for the provision of a sturdy tray that can be used, for example, as a cup holder.

The above-described embodiments have in common that in the braking and locking device according to the invention by the continuous rotation of the spindle, the brake can be made stepless. The entire system is low-wear, since the damping is based on shear forces in the rheological fluid, but not solid parts to each other are subjected to increased abrasion. By changing the voltage, shearing forces and thus the damping of the braking and locking device can be adjusted during operation and in dependence on occurring movements in the electrorheological damper. In this way, an intelligent system can be created, which detects, for example, when using the brake and locking device according to the invention in motor vehicle doors external circumstances such as wind or vehicle inclination on a changed movement behavior of the door and approaches by adjusting the electrorheological damper the desired movement. By flanging an electric motor, a door drive can be easily integrated into a stepless door brake so that two equipment variants become possible and the door brake implemented by the braking and locking device according to the invention can optionally be provided with a drive. Finally, a further advantage is that the spindle, the nut, the bearing but also the optional electric motor can make use of generally available standard products, while the electrorheological damper can be easily adapted to the desired application. Only the control electronics for the electrorheological damper and a possible sensor technology must be adapted to the specific application.

Claims (8)

Brake and locking device, comprising: - a fixed, first component ( 3 ) and, for this purpose movably mounted, displaceable or pivotable second component ( 4 ); - one with the first component ( 3 ) and second component ( 4 ) connectable threaded spindle ( 1 ); - one with the threaded spindle ( 1 ) engaged on the first component ( 3 ) or second component ( 4 ) attachable nut ( 2 ); and - one the threaded spindle ( 1 ) damping, rheological rotary damper ( 6 ). Device according to claim 1, wherein the threaded spindle ( 1 ) is designed in such a way that it interacts with the mother ( 2 ) is not self-locking. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a rolling bearing ( 5 ), via which the threaded spindle ( 1 ) with that component ( 3 or 4 ) is rotatably and pivotally connectable, on which the mother ( 2 ) is not firmly attached. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising a drive motor ( 7 ), which with the threaded spindle ( 1 ) is in operative connection. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that between the drive motor ( 7 ) and the threaded spindle ( 1 ) a transmission is interposed. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rotary damper an electrorheological rotary damper ( 6 ). Door, in particular vehicle door or tailgate of a motor vehicle, or luggage compartment flap of a bus, comprising a braking and locking device according to one of the preceding claims. Door or flap in the interior of a motor vehicle, comprising a braking and locking device according to one of the preceding claims.

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