DE102019120962A1 - Electromotive drive unit for automotive applications - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an electromotive drive unit for motor vehicle applications, in particular a locking unit for an electric charging device (1, 2, 3, 4) of a motor vehicle. The drive unit has a movable adjusting element (1), in particular a locking element (1), which is provided, for example, to releasably lock a charging plug (2) in a charging socket (3) of the electric charging device (1, 2, 3, 4) . In addition, a motor drive with an electric motor (4) is implemented for the preferably linear adjustment of the adjusting element (1), at least one bearing (6a, 6b) being provided for guiding the adjusting element (1). According to the invention, the bearing (6a, 6b) is arcuate in cross section with arcs (R1, R2) that differ in the actuating direction (B) of the actuating element (1).

Description

The invention relates to an electromotive drive unit for motor vehicle applications, in particular a locking unit for an electric charging device of a motor vehicle, with a movable actuating element, in particular a locking element, which is provided, for example, to releasably lock a charging plug in a charging socket of the electric charging device, and with a motorized one Drive with an electric motor for preferably linear adjustment of the adjusting element, at least one bearing being provided for guiding the adjusting element.

Electromotive drive units for automotive applications are known in various forms. This is how it goes with the generic DE 42 25 478 A1 around a drive device for adjusting a mirror glass support pivotably mounted in a mirror housing of a motor vehicle rearview mirror. In addition, such drive units are used on and in connection with motor vehicle locks. Also for seat adjustments, window lifters, tank flap locks, headlight adjustments, etc., to name just a few examples.

The present invention is primarily concerned with a locking unit for an electric charging device of a motor vehicle. With the aid of the locking unit, the charging plug can be releasably locked with respect to the charging socket of the electric charging device in order to accompany and ensure an electric charging process of an electric or hybrid motor vehicle.

In fact, batteries in electric or hybrid vehicles have to be regularly supplied with electrical energy. This is done with recourse to a charging infrastructure, which typically includes charging stations. For the charging process with electrical energy, the charging plug of the charging station is generally coupled to a charging socket on the motor vehicle side and is releasably locked. In principle, it is also possible to proceed in reverse. The charging station is then equipped with a charging socket, whereas the charging plug is on the vehicle side.

In any case, the locking is necessary, for example to avoid health hazards, since high voltage is generally used at this point. In addition, the locking ensures that only previously identified users draw the energy made available by the charging station lawfully and that misuse is prevented. For this purpose, an identification of the operator and an authorization check with the aid of an identification signal usually take place before such a loading process, as is basically the case in FIG WO 2010/149426 A1 is described.

The adjustment of the adjusting element and in particular the locking element is in the prior art according to CN 2020695855 U made with the help of an electric motor drive. The electric motor drive itself consists of an electric motor and a downstream multi-stage gear. The multi-stage gear works on the locking element via a cam. The locking element is in turn received in an annular bearing and guided through the bearing and is designed like a pin or bolt for this purpose.

In addition, comparable solutions are in the further and likewise generic prior art according to DE 10 2011 010 809 A1 known. A locking device that works with a mechanical bolt is implemented at this point. The mechanical bolt can be operated by an electric motor. In this way, the mechanical bolt engages in grooves in the charging plug and thus ensures that the plug or charging plug is locked with the aid of the locking device inside the charging socket.

A similar solution is provided in the DE 10 2009 030 092 A1 described. In this case too, a plug or charging plug is provided which can be locked in a socket or charging socket. The user can also be identified via the plug or charging plug. In addition, locking means are provided with the help of which the charging plug can be locked in the charging socket of the charging station. An electromotive drive is used to drive the locking means.

In this way, at least and in principle, the two positions “unlocked” and “locked” of the locking element can be implemented and specified. In the "unlocked" position of the locking element, the charging plug can be removed from the charging socket. The "locked" position, on the other hand, ensures that the charging plug is locked and secured opposite the charging socket. This position is typically only assumed when a previously provided user identification has been successfully completed and payment for the electrical energy drawn is also ensured. The charging process is only started after the locking element has ensured that the charging plug has been locked with respect to the charging socket.

In general, the charging socket on the motor vehicle side is arranged and mounted together with the drive or the electromotive drive unit and in particular the locking unit for the charging device of the motor vehicle on or in a body of the motor vehicle, mostly in a body opening or body recess which is also closed with an additional flap may be. In this context, the adjusting element or locking element, like a housing accommodating the electromotive drive unit, is mostly made of plastic, in order to be able to provide additional electrical insulation from the mostly metallic body of the motor vehicle. For this purpose, the adjusting element or locking element and also the housing are mostly produced in the course of a plastic molding process and in particular a plastic injection molding process.

When designing such plastic parts and the associated injection molding tools, various design rules to be observed in practice must be taken into account. In addition to the general endeavors to work with the lowest possible wall thicknesses when designing the housing and to avoid large and flat areas, so-called draft angles are typically used. Such draft angles as components of injection molding tools ensure that the frictional forces that inevitably occur when the plastic parts are removed from the mold are kept low. In fact, such draft angles are often used for structures inside the housing. For this purpose, the corresponding walls of the molded part are generally beveled slightly, the associated angles mostly being determined empirically.

In order to keep costs low, the prior art according to the CN 2020695855 U and also in practice the bearing for the adjusting element or locking element is also made of plastic. In view of the not inconsiderable coefficients of friction “plastic-plastic” of approx. 0.4 to 0.9 depending on the plastic used (for sliding friction) observed in this connection, increased wear is to be expected in the area of such a bearing, if only comes to a punctual abutment of the adjusting element or locking element on the bearing in question. In addition, a punctual abutment for a mostly intended linear guidance of the adjusting element or locking element is disadvantageous and can lead to functional impairments under certain circumstances. The invention aims to provide a remedy here overall.

The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such an electromotive drive unit for motor vehicle applications in such a way that production and wear and tear as well as permanent functionality are optimized.

To solve this technical problem, the invention proposes in a generic electromotive drive unit that the bearing is arcuate in cross section with different arcs or radii in the direction of actuation of the locking element.

Most of the time, the bearing has a circular arc shape in cross section. In addition, the bearing has at least two radii that differ from one another and are different in cross-section and in the direction of actuation of the actuating element or locking element. The two or the at least two radii of the bearing, which is arcuate in cross section, advantageously touch in the contact area with the actuating element.

In this way, first of all, a bearing for the generally linearly displaceable adjusting element and in particular locking element is made available which combines optimal friction conditions, reduced wear and improved guidance of the adjusting element during its completed linear adjustment path. Because at least in the contact area of the two radii with the adjusting element, a demolding tool or demolding tool part used at this point and responsible for the definition of the bearing can be dimensioned and designed as a component of an injection molding tool in such a way that no demolding bevel is required in the contact area in question.

This means first of all that the bearing is made of plastic or is designed as a plastic molded part and in particular a plastic injection molded part. In addition, in this context the bearing is regularly connected to a housing, likewise made of plastic, for the electromotive drive unit or is formed in one piece with it. In a preferred embodiment, the bearing is composed on the one hand of a bearing rib connected to the housing and, on the other hand, a bearing wall on the adjusting element side supported by the bearing rib, which has the special circular arc-shaped character described in cross section. In addition, the bearing wall is advantageously designed in the direction of the adjusting element in a convex arcuate or convex arcuate shape. In an alternative embodiment, the bearing wall can also be supported on a housing wall instead of on a special bearing rib.

As a result, the adjusting element or locking element is in the contact area on the circular arc-shaped bearing wall or generally the bearing. In addition, the design is usually made in such a way that the bearing and the housing are formed in one piece, that is to say are produced in a common plastic molding process and, in particular, a plastic injection molding process. That is, both the bearing and the housing are each designed as a plastic injection molded part.

The special inventive design of the bearing or the bearing wall with the two different radii which is convex in the direction of the actuating element and has the two different radii now defines the special contact area according to the invention with the locking element. Because the two different radii of the circular arc-shaped bearing wall touch in the contact area in question with the adjusting element. The design is additionally and advantageously made in such a way that the bearing in question has a smaller radius in the actuation direction and in a plan view of the bearing and at the origin of the movement of the actuating element or on the head side than in the course of the movement. In principle, the reverse can of course also be used.

In this way, a demolding tool or demolding tool part necessary for defining the specially designed bearing according to the invention in or on the housing can be produced and designed as a component of an injection molding tool such that the demolding tool in question has no demolding bevel in the contact area or the demolding bevel 0 in the contact area ° is observed. An inclined position of the wall or the bearing wall on the adjusting element side, which must be maintained during manufacture, is therefore not necessary in the contact area. As a result, the actuating element or locking element rests against the contact area over the entire length of the contact area and practically over its entire linear actuating path, which overall defines a contact line or a contact strip which extends from the head of the bearing wall to the base at the bottom of the housing extends.

Since, in addition, the larger radius is advantageously used at the bottom of the bearing wall compared to the smaller radius at the head of the bearing wall, the bearing wall has - except for the contact area - against the actuation direction of the actuating element via a conical upward direction towards the head of the bearing wall tapering character. Since the demoulding tool required to manufacture the bearing and consequently the bearing wall is moved out of the manufactured shape of the housing after the injection molding process against the actuation direction of the adjusting element, optimized and comparably low frictional forces are observed in the area of the bearing wall, as in the case that the bearing wall would have been beveled overall.

As a result of this, the actuating element or locking element is properly guided in its actuation direction and also against the actuation direction. Because here the adjusting element, which generally completes the linear adjusting path, rests against the bearing in question over the entire contact line or the previously mentioned and defined contact strip. In this context, work is usually carried out with at least two opposing bearings that accommodate and guide the actuating element between them. At the same time, this design optimizes the friction conditions so that not only flawless long-term operation, but also high functional reliability over long time scales can be expected. This is where the main advantages can be seen.

• 1 die erfindungsgemäße elektromotorische Antriebseinheit in einer schematischen Draufsicht,
• 2 den Gegenstand nach der 1 in einer Seitenansicht,
• 3A eine Detailansicht des Gegenstandes nach der 1,
• 3B eine schematische Aufsicht des Gegenstandes nach 3A und
• 3C eine Ansicht X auf den Gegenstand nach 3A.

In the following the invention is explained in more detail with reference to a drawing showing only one embodiment; show it:

• 1 the electromotive drive unit according to the invention in a schematic plan view,
• 2 the subject after the 1 in a side view,
• 3A a detailed view of the item after 1 ,
• 3B a schematic plan view of the object according to 3A and
• 3C a view X of the object after 3A .

The figures show an electromotive drive unit for automotive applications. Specifically and according to the exemplary embodiment, it is a locking unit for an electric charging device 1 , 2 , 3 , 4th of a motor vehicle not shown in detail. The motor vehicle may be designed as an electric or hybrid motor vehicle.

The electric charger 1 , 2 , 3 , 4th consists of an actuator 1 in the form of a locking element 1 , a charging plug 2 and finally a charging socket 3 together. The charging socket 3 comes together with the in one housing 5 recorded locking unit mounted on the vehicle side, for example in the previously mentioned recess of the vehicle body. With the help of the adjusting element or locking element 1 the charging plug on the column 2 in the charging socket 3 releasably lock, as already described in the introduction.

Corresponding adjusting movements of the adjusting element or locking element 1 are made with the help of an electric motor 4th causes which with the interposition of an unspecified and in particular in the 1 to be recognized gear on the actuating element or locking element 1 is working. Consequently, define the locking element 1 , the charging plug 2 , the charging socket 3 and the drive 4th for the locking element 1 the loading device 1 , 2 , 3 , 4th .

The locking element 1 is in its particular in the 2 actuation direction shown by an arrow B. move down. A linear travel of the locking element corresponds to this 1 . During this process, the can be plugged into the charging socket 3 inserted charging plugs 2 opposite the charging socket 3 releasably lock. To the charging plug 2 to unlock, the locking element must 1 contrary to its operating direction B. up in the 2 with the help of the electric motor 4th are proceeded.

To the previously mentioned and with the direction of actuation B. of the locking element 1 connected linear travel of the locking element 1 The housing has the ability to represent and implement 5 inside over several bearings 6a , 6b for guiding the locking element 1 . In this way, the motor drive can be combined with the electric motor 4th for the desired linear adjustment of the locking element 1 in the direction of actuation B. and against the direction of actuation B. worry like this in the 2 is indicated by corresponding arrows.

With the case 5 it is a plastic injection molded part. The camp too 6a , 6b is designed as a plastic injection molded part. The warehouse 6a , 6b and the case 5 are designed in one piece. Also the case 5 along with the camp 6a , 6b or the several camps 6a , 6b for the control element or control element 1 produced in one go in an injection molding tool (not shown) made of thermoplastic such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or polyamide (PA) Based on the enlarged views of a warehouse in the 3A to 3C you can see that the camp 6a , 6b according to the embodiment via a to the housing 5 connected bearing rib 6a on the one hand and an adjusting element-side or locking element-side bearing wall 6b on the other hand. With the help of the bearing rib 6a is located opposite the bearing rib 6a largely perpendicular in cross section bearing wall 6b supported. You can also see from the enlarged representations that the in this way with the help of the bearing rib 6a supported storage wall 6b in the direction of the locking element 1 is convex arc-shaped and in particular convex arc-shaped.

According to the invention is now the camp 6a , 6b designed not only arcuate in cross section and in particular arcuate shape. But the camp 6a , 6b also has in the actuation direction B. of the adjusting element or locking element 1 over different arcs or radii R ₁ , R ₂ . They are actually in the cross section of the bearing 6a , 6b in the direction of actuation B. at least two radii that differ from one another R ₁ , R ₂ realized. Based on the enlarged representation in the 3B you can see that both radii R ₁ , R ₂ in a contact area 7th with the locking element 1 touch.

In addition, the design is made so that the bearing 6a , 6b in the direction of actuation B. at the origin of the movement of the locking element 1 or at the head of the bearing 6a , 6b the smaller radius R ₂ having. In contrast, is on the foot of the camp 6a , 6b the larger radius R ₁ realized. It can be seen that the convex circular arc in the direction of the locking element 1 designed storage wall 6b in this way with the different radii R ₁ , R ₂ is equipped.

The design is such that a lower area at the foot 6b ₁ of the camp 6a , 6b or the convex arched bearing wall 6b the larger radius R ₁ having. In contrast, the head-side upper area 6b ₂ of the camp 6a , 6b or the storage wall 6b with the smaller radius R ₂ equipped. The ones for the respective radii R ₁ , R ₂ appropriate center points meet in their extension on the contact area 7th . In the contact area 7th the differing radii touch each other R ₁ , R ₂ or the different areas 6b ₁ , 6b ₂ the warehouse wall 6b , in cross-section and in top view, as shown in the 3B recognizes.

In this way one can be used in the manufacture of the bearing in question 6a , 6b necessary demolding tool with a non-existent draft angle in the contact area 7th be equipped. This forms in the contact area 7th in supervision and over the entire length of the storage wall 6b seen a contact line or a contact strip to the locking element 1 which is for a large area between the warehouse 6a , 6b and the locking element 1 cares. This is accompanied by reduced friction, reduced wear and a particularly high level of functional reliability when completing the linear travel, as already described in the introduction.

List of reference symbols

1

Locking element / adjusting element

1, 2, 3, 4

electric charger

2

Charging plug

3

Charging socket

4th

Electric motor

5

casing

6a

Bearing rib

6a, 6b

camp

6b

Warehouse wall

6b ₁

lower area

6b ₂

upper area

7th

Contact area

B.

Operating direction

R ₁

larger radius

R ₁ , R ₂

Radii (arcs)

R ₂

smaller radius

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• DE 4225478 A1 [0002]
• WO 2010/149426 A1 [0005]
• CN 2020695855 U [0006, 0012]
• DE 102011010809 A1 [0007]
• DE 102009030092 A1 [0008]

Claims (10)

Electromotive drive unit for motor vehicle applications, in particular a locking unit for an electric charging device (1, 2, 3, 4) of a motor vehicle with a movable adjusting element (1), in particular locking element (1), which is provided, for example, to connect a charging plug (2) in a Charging socket (3) of the electric charging device (1, 2, 3, 4) to be releasably locked, and with a motor drive with an electric motor (4) for preferably linear adjustment of the adjusting element (1), at least one bearing (6a, 6b) for Guiding of the adjusting element (1) is provided, characterized in that the bearing (6a, 6b) is arcuate in cross section with arcs (R ₁ , R ₂ ) different in the actuating direction (B) of the adjusting element (1). Drive unit after Claim 1 , characterized in that the bearing (6a, 6b) has a circular arc shape in cross section. Drive unit after Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that the bearing (6a, 6b) has at least two radii (R ₁ , R ₂ ) which differ from one another in cross section in the actuating direction (B). Drive unit after Claim 3 , characterized in that both radii (R ₁ , R ₂ ) touch in the contact area (7) with the adjusting element (1). Drive unit according to one of the Claims 1 to 4th , characterized in that the bearing (6a, 6b) in the actuating direction (B) has a smaller radius (R ₂ ) on the head side than on the foot side (R ₁ ). Drive unit according to one of the Claims 1 to 5 , characterized in that the bearing (6a, 6b) is designed as a bearing rib (6a) connected to a housing (5) with a bearing wall (6b) on the adjusting element. Drive unit after Claim 6 , characterized in that the bearing wall (6b) in the direction of the adjusting element (1) is convexly arcuate and in particular convexly arcuate. Drive unit according to one of the Claims 1 to 7th , characterized in that the bearing (6a, 6b) and the housing (5) are made in one piece. Drive unit according to one of the Claims 1 to 8th , characterized in that the housing (5) is designed as a plastic injection molded part. Drive unit according to one of the Claims 1 to 9 , characterized in that the bearing (6a, 6b) is produced without a draft angle in the contact area (7).

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