EP3299561A1 - Actuating device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an adjusting device (10) for a vehicle part (52) movable relative to a body (54) of a vehicle (50), comprising a drive arrangement (12) having a drive unit (14) and a movement state sensor (16) Drive unit (14) relative to the drive arrangement (12) displaceable adjusting element (22) and a control unit (24) for driving the drive unit (14), wherein the control unit (24) is adapted to the drive unit (14) in adaptation to an actual To actuate the movement state. The invention also relates to a motor vehicle (50) having a body (54) and a vehicle part (52) which can be moved relative to the body (54) and which is equipped with an adjusting device (10) according to the invention.

Description

The invention relates to an adjusting device for a vehicle part movable relative to a body of a vehicle, in particular for a vehicle operator of a vehicle flap, comprising a drive arrangement with a drive unit and at least one movement state sensor for detecting a movement state of the drive unit and for outputting corresponding movement state signals, an actuating element, which the drive unit is displaceable relative to the drive arrangement, and a control unit associated with the drive arrangement for activating and deactivating the drive unit.

Such actuators are well known. They are for example used for automatic opening and closing of doors and / or tailgates of motor vehicles, especially passenger cars. For this purpose, in a manner known per se, the drive arrangement can be provided with a connection unit for connecting the drive arrangement to a superordinate, i. not belonging to the actuator, be provided assembly of the vehicle, while the actuator with another connection unit for connecting the actuator with another parent, i. not belonging to the adjusting device, assembly of the vehicle may be provided. In this case, for example, be a parent assembly, the body of the vehicle, while the other parent assembly may be movable relative to the vehicle body part. All this also applies to the adjusting device according to the invention.

Even if the adjusting devices according to the invention, as just mentioned, for power assisted opening and closing, but also for automatic Opening and closing of both vehicle doors and vehicle doors can be used, the actuator according to the invention will be explained below for ease of illustration below, mainly with respect to the opening and closing of doors of motor vehicles.

In the known generic adjusting devices, the door is opened or closed automatically by means of the drive unit after actuation of a switch provided for this purpose, for example pulling on the door handle. The motion state sensor is used to monitor the operation of the actuator. If the door is opened or closed by hand or the door is additionally moved by hand during the automatic opening or closing, this can have a disadvantageous effect on the drive unit in the case of the known adjusting devices. In particular, this can entail a permanent impairment of the efficiency of the drive unit, in extreme cases even their damage.

It is an object of the present invention to remedy this situation.

This object is achieved by an adjusting device of the type mentioned, in which the control unit has a signal input, with which the at least one movement state sensor for forwarding the motion status signals to the control unit is connected, and that the control unit is designed, then when the from Moving state sensor to the control unit forwarded movement state signals indicate a deviating from a desired movement state actual movement state of the drive unit to actuate the drive unit in adaptation to the actual movement state.

An actuation of the drive unit in adaptation to their actual movement state can basically consist of actuating the drive unit only to the extent that it is no longer forcedly actuated from the outside.

This forced operation is usually the cause of the impairment of the drive unit.

Advantageously, the control unit may be configured to, when the movement state signals forwarded by the movement state sensor to the control unit indicate an actual movement state of the drive unit deviating from a desired movement state, actuate the drive unit in the sense of aiding the movement causing the actual movement state.

The target motion state may be, for example, the idle state, i. the deactivated state, the drive unit. However, in this state, when the movement status signals indicate that the drive unit is being operated, the control unit assumes that the vehicle door is manually operated, and controls the drive unit to assist the manual operation of the door in a power steering manner. The goal can be advantageously, the door even when the vehicle is on a slope or in a lateral position to be able to operate with a low force in the order of 5 to 10 N can.

However, the desired movement state can also be a predetermined movement state, for example a movement state corresponding to an automatic opening or closing operation of the door. However, if the movement status signals indicate an actual movement state deviating from this target movement state, the control unit assumes that the automatic opening or closing is no longer desired and the vehicle door is to be actuated manually. Also in this case, the drive unit controls such that it supports the manual operation of the door in the manner of a power steering.

As indicated above, the adjusting device according to the invention can also be designed to automatically open and close the door. For example, the actuator may be configured to interpret a long pull on the door handle as a desire for automated opening and closing, while a brief pull on the door handle is interpreted as a desire for power assisted opening and closing.

It should be noted in the context of the present invention that manual operations of doors differ in their pattern of movement, in particular at the beginning of the movement, from other types of operations, for example a gravity-related operation of the door. Thus, for example, the manual opening of a door initially exhibits a strong actuation, as it were a "tearing", while a door, under the influence of gravity initially sets in motion only slowly, quasi "creeping". Thus, for example, the acceleration with which the door sets in motion can be used as a distinguishing criterion. According to the invention, it is therefore proposed that the control unit is designed to actuate the drive unit only in adaptation to the actual movement state when a movement pattern of the actual movement state meets at least one predetermined condition.

To be able to prevent that other than manual movements of the door, such as gravity-related movements of the door, are detected as the actual state of motion, may additionally or alternatively be provided that the drive unit is associated with a braking device.

If the braking device is a permanently acting braking device, the braking force can for example be set so that it is greater than the gravity normally acting on the door as long as the vehicle is standing on a ground whose inclination does not exceed a predetermined value, for example 15 ° , In this way, the braking force outweighs the force exerted by the force of gravity on the door and can bring a gravity-related movement of the door to a halt or not at all.

The braking device may be, for example, a friction brake. In particular, the braking device may include a co-rotating with an output shaft of the drive unit braking element and a rotationally fixed to the drive assembly arranged braking element, which are in frictional engagement with each other. In this case, for example, the rotationally fixedly arranged on the drive assembly brake element for generating the frictional engagement under the bias of a spring against the co-rotating with the output shaft of the drive unit braking element can be pressed.

In this context, it is also advantageous if the effect of the braking device, so its braking force is adjustable. For this purpose, for example, the spring biasing force, which acts on the rotatably mounted on the drive assembly brake element, be adjustable.

In principle, however, it is also conceivable that the brake device comprises a brake force interruption unit. In the case of a friction brake, this brake power interruption unit can be designed, for example, to interrupt the friction engagement of the two brake elements. Advantageously, the brake force interruption unit can be actuated by means of the control unit. In particular, the control unit may be designed to actuate the brake force interruption unit upon activation of the drive unit in the sense of interrupting the braking force.

Another problem encountered in automatically moving vehicle parts movable relative to a vehicle body is that the vehicle part is always moved over a predetermined amount of movement, ie, a predetermined distance, a predetermined swing angle, or the like. This can lead to damage of the vehicle part in the presence of an obstacle in the movement path. To prevent this, according to a further aspect of the invention, an adjusting device of the type mentioned is proposed in which the control unit has a signal input with which at least one obstacle detection sensor not forming part of the setting device can be connected to the control unit for forwarding obstacle detection signals, and the control unit is designed to display the drive unit when the obstacle detection signals indicate the presence of an obstacle in the movement path of the vehicle part to disable. The obstacle sensor may be, for example, a radar sensor, an optical sensor, a laser scanner sensor, an ultrasonic sensor or a camera.

Also for this aspect of the invention, for which independent protection is sought, it is advantageous if the adjusting device has a braking device of the type described above, since it is able to hold the vehicle part safely in the position assumed when the drive unit is deactivated.

In a further development of the invention, it is proposed that the actuating element comprises a spindle.

Furthermore, it can be provided that the output shaft of the drive unit is orthogonal to the adjustment direction of the actuating unit.

A compact arrangement that takes up little space can be achieved, for example, in that the output shaft of the drive unit carries a worm wheel, wherein the worm wheel preferably meshes with a gear which has radially inside a spindle nut or carries, which with a thread the spindle is in threaded engagement. It must be borne in this case only for a related to the adjustment of the actuator axial support of the gear. However, this can be provided in a simple manner by the housing of the drive arrangement.

Finally, the invention also relates to a motor vehicle with a body and a relative to the body movable vehicle part, which is equipped with an adjusting device according to the invention. It is particularly advantageous that in this motor vehicle, the vehicle part, which can be moved relative to the body of the vehicle, can be free of a catch strap designed with preferred positions. This has advantages not only in terms of the required installation space, but also in terms of manufacturing costs.

Figur 1

eine Seitenansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Stellvorrichtung;

Figur 2

eine weitere Seitenansicht der Stellvorrichtung gemäß Figur 1 aus der durch den Pfeil II in Figur 1 angezeigten Richtung;

Figur 3

eine teilweise geöffnete Seitenansicht der Stellvorrichtung der Figuren 1 und 2;

Figur 4

einen Schnitt der in Figur 1 gezeigten Ansicht.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings. It shows:

FIG. 1

a side view of an adjusting device according to the invention;

FIG. 2

a further side view of the adjusting device according to FIG. 1 from the arrow II in FIG. 1 displayed direction;

FIG. 3

a partially opened side view of the adjusting device of FIGS. 1 and 2 ;

FIG. 4

a section of in FIG. 1 shown view.

In FIG. 1 is an adjusting device according to the invention generally designated 10. It serves to move a vehicle part 52, for example a vehicle door or a vehicle flap (in FIG FIG. 1 dot-dash-dotted lines indicated), a motor vehicle 50, such as a passenger car, relative to the body 54 (in FIG. 1 The actuating device 10 comprises a drive arrangement 12 with a drive unit 14, for example an electric motor, and a movement status sensor 16, for example a Hall sensor, for detecting the movement state of the drive unit 14. The drive unit 14 and the movement status sensor 16 are in one common Housing 18 was added. In addition, in the housing 18, a brake device 20 (see FIG. 3 ), which is capable of braking a movement, in particular rotation, of the drive unit 14.

The adjusting device 10 further comprises an adjusting element 22, which is formed in the illustrated embodiment as a spindle.

The actuator 22 is hinged to the movable vehicle part 52 by means of a bracket 26, while the drive assembly 12 is connected to the body 54 of the vehicle 50 via a gimbal 27. The degrees of freedom provided by the gimbal 27, namely their pivotability about the axes C and D (see FIG. 2 ), the pivoting of the holder 26 about the axis B and the rotatability of the spindle 22 relative to the drive assembly 12 about the axis A prevent tilting of the actuator 10 reliably.

As in particular in the Figures 3 and 4 can be seen, an output shaft 28 of the drive unit 14 carries a worm wheel 30 which meshes with a gear 32 which surrounds the spindle 22. Radially inside the gear 32 is connected to a spindle nut 34 which is in threaded engagement with a thread of the spindle 22. In this way, a rotational movement of the drive unit 14 is converted into a linear movement of the spindle 22 in the longitudinal direction A thereof

According to FIG. 3 is also the brake device 20 of the output shaft 28 of the drive unit 14 assigned. In the illustrated embodiment, it is designed as a permanently acting friction brake. For this purpose, it comprises a with the output shaft 28 operatively connected, ie with the output shaft 28 co-rotating brake element 42 and a solidly connected to the housing 18, ie rotationally fixed brake element 44. The rotationally fixed brake element 4 and the co-rotating brake element 42 are in frictional engagement with each other this frictional engagement by means of a (not shown) Spring is permanently maintained. The braking force generated by this permanent frictional engagement is preferably selected such that the movable vehicle part 52 is not able to move automatically as long as the vehicle 50 stands on a ground whose inclination angle, depending on the design of the braking device 20 relative to the horizontal, for example, at most 15 ° is. In this way, the movable vehicle part 52 can be kept at its displacement in any intermediate position.

For controlling the operation of the drive unit 14, the drive assembly 12 is further provided with a (in FIG. 3 only shown schematically) control unit 24 assigned. Via a signal input 36, the control unit 24 output signals of the movement state sensor 16 are supplied. Further, the control unit 24 via a signal input 38, the output signals of an obstacle detection sensor 40 are supplied.

If the control unit 24 determines that the movable vehicle part 52 is moved by hand based on the signals of the movement state sensor 16, it controls the drive unit 14 to assist in the desired movement, that is, in the direction of movement. in the manner of a power steering. The proportion of the force required to move the movable vehicle part 52, which is taken over by the drive unit 14, can be adjusted as desired, but is advantageously chosen such that the vehicle part 52, even if the vehicle 50 on a slope or in lateral position, can be operated with a small force in the order of 5 to 10 N.

If the control unit 24 does not desire to manually operate the movable vehicle part 52, but is instructed to automatically move the movable vehicle part 52, the control unit 24 takes into account the obstacle detection signals supplied thereto from the obstacle detection sensor 40 in the execution of this command. Provides the Control unit 24 determines that in the path of movement of the movable vehicle part 52, an obstacle is present, it deactivates the drive unit 14, so that the movable vehicle part 52 comes to a halt before the obstacle without colliding with it and thereby being damaged.

It should also be added that, for better signal resolution, it is conceivable to provide a second movement status sensor (not shown) on the output side, that is to say, for example, on the worm wheel 30 or on the spindle 22.

Claims (15)

Adjusting device (10) for a relative to a body (54) of a vehicle (50) movable vehicle part (52), in particular a vehicle door or a vehicle door, comprising: A drive arrangement (12) • with a drive unit (14) and At least one motion state sensor (16) for detecting a motion state of the drive unit (14) and outputting corresponding motion state signals, • An actuating element (22), which by means of the drive unit (14) relative to the drive assembly (12) is displaceable, and A control unit (24) assigned to the drive arrangement (12) for activating and deactivating the drive unit (14), characterized in that the control unit (24) has a signal input (36) with which the at least one movement status sensor (16) for forwarding the Moving state signals to the control unit (24) is connected, and that the control unit (24) is designed, when the moving state signals from the movement state sensor (16) to the control unit (24) forward a deviating from a target movement state actual movement state of the drive unit (14) indicate to actuate the drive unit (14) in adaptation to the actual movement state. Adjusting device according to claim 1,
characterized in that the control unit (24) is adapted to, when the motion state signals forwarded by the movement state sensor (16) to the control unit (24) have an actual movement state deviating from a desired movement state the drive unit (14) indicate to actuate the drive unit (14) in the sense of a support of the actual movement state causing movement. Adjusting device according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that the control unit (24) is adapted to actuate the drive unit (14) only in adaptation to the actual movement state when a movement pattern of the actual movement state meets at least a predetermined condition. Adjusting device according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the drive unit (14) is associated with a braking device (20). Adjusting device according to claim 4,
characterized in that the braking device (20) is a permanently acting braking device. Adjusting device according to claim 4 or 5,
characterized in that the braking device (20) comprises a brake element (42) co-rotating with an output shaft (28) of the drive unit (14) and a brake element (44) rotationally fixed to the drive assembly (12) which frictionally engage with each other. Adjusting device according to claim 4 or 6, insofar as this is not related to claim 5,
characterized in that the brake device (20) comprises a brake force interruption unit. Adjusting device according to claim 7,
characterized in that the control unit (24) is adapted to actuate the brake force interruption unit upon activation of the drive unit (14) in the sense of an interruption of the braking force. Adjusting device, according to the preamble of claim 1, and if desired the characterizing part of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the control unit (24) has a signal input (38) with which at least one obstacle detection sensor (not forming part of the adjusting device) (10) 40) for relaying obstacle detection signals to the control unit (24) is connectable, and that the control unit (24) is adapted to the drive unit (14) when the obstacle detection signals indicate the presence of an obstacle in the path of movement of the vehicle part (52) deactivate. Adjusting device according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the adjusting element (22) comprises a spindle. Adjusting device according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the output shaft (28) of the drive unit (14) to the adjustment direction (A) of the adjusting unit (22) is orthogonal. Adjusting device according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the output shaft (28) of the drive unit (14) carries a worm wheel (30), wherein the worm wheel (30) preferably meshes with a gear (32) having radially inside a spindle nut (34), which with a thread the adjusting element (22) is in threaded engagement. Adjusting device according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the drive assembly (12) with a connection unit (27) for connecting the drive assembly (12) with a parent, ie not to the adjusting device (10) belonging to assembly (54) of the vehicle (50) is provided while the actuating element (22) with a further connection unit (26) for connecting the adjusting element (22) with a further superordinate, ie not belonging to the adjusting device (10), assembly (52) of the vehicle (50) is provided. Motor vehicle (50) having a body (54) and a relative to the body (54) movable vehicle part (52) which is equipped with an adjusting device (10) according to one of the preceding claims. Motor vehicle according to claim 14,
characterized in that the relative to the body (54) of the vehicle (50) movable vehicle part (52) is free of a trained with preferred positions tether.

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