A spindle drive for a closure element of a motor vehicle including a downstream spindle/spindle nut mechanism, a spindle, a spindle nut and a spindle guide tube, for producing drive movements along a drive axis. A number of drive connections adjustable with respect to one another to transmit the drive movements, the first drive connection axially fixed to the spindle guide tube, a second drive connection axially fixed to the spindle, a drive spring configured to produce drive movements along the drive axis, the spindle guide tube has a first outer radius extending along at least one axial portion and on a side facing the first drive connection, a tube end portion with a tube end edge, that the tube end portion is widened radially so that the tube end edge has an outer end edge radius which is greater than the first outer radius.

A refrigerator appliance includes a cabinet defining a food storage chamber. A door is positioned on the cabinet and is movable between a closed position and an open position. A door opener includes a casing, a gear box, a sliding nut movable relative to the gear box, and a finger extending through the gear box. The finger is movable with the sliding nut. The door opener also includes a sensor. The finger extends outside of the casing to contact an inner surface of the door when the door is in the closed position and the door opener is in a zero position. The sensor is configured to detect movement of the door opener from the zero position.

A refrigerator includes: a cabinet; a drawer door assembly including a front panel door part and a drawer part that defines an accommodation space; a rail that movably configured to connect the drawer door assembly to the cabinet and enable the drawer door assembly to insert into and withdraw from the cabinet; a driving device located at the front panel door part and configured to provide power; and an elevation device located in the drawer part and configured to be coupled to the driving device and elevate a portion of the drawer part relative to the front panel door part. The driving device includes: a motor assembly configured to provide driving force; a screw assembly configured to perform an elevation operation based on the driving force; and a lever that connects the screw assembly to the elevation device and that is configured to rotate based on the elevation operation.

A door drive apparatus for adjusting a vehicle door relative to a vehicle body including an adjustment part for power transmission between the vehicle door and the vehicle body, a drive motor and a gear assembly coupling the drive motor to the adjustment part. The gear assembly includes a guide rail and a sliding element guided longitudinally on the guide rail along an adjustment direction, which is adjustable by the drive motor and is coupled to the adjustment part, and the guide rail includes two legs extended parallel to each other along the adjustment direction and the sliding element is guided between the legs along the adjustment direction.

A spindle drive assembly for opening and/or closing a vehicle hatch is described. This comprises a spindle extending along a spindle drive axis and a spindle drive motor coupled to the spindle in terms of drive, the motor shaft of which is arranged substantially coaxially with respect to the spindle drive axis. The spindle drive motor is coupled to the spindle via a two-stage epicyclic gearing. Furthermore, a vehicle hatch with such a spindle drive assembly is presented. A method for installing an epicyclic gearing of such a spindle drive assembly is additionally specified.

Tubular drive apparatus for a panel of a vehicle, preferably a tailgate or door, comprising two tubes which are inserted into one another in a telescopic manner, the free ends of which are each hinged to the panel of the vehicle and to the vehicle itself, the tubes being capable of being separated from one another and brought together by means of a spindle which is driven by an electric motor and comprises a spindle nut arranged thereon, in order to thus open and close the panel, the electric motor, the spindle, the spindle nut and an electronic circuit board comprising sensor elements being arranged within the tubular drive apparatus, and a power electronics unit for actuating the electric motor also being arranged on the electronic circuit board.

A split lead screw sleeve includes a first lead screw sleeve fixedly sleeved on a lead screw nut and the lead screw nut and the first lead screw sleeve are integrally formed through injection molding. A second lead screw sleeve is fixedly connected to the first lead screw sleeve. The lead screw nut, the first lead screw sleeve, and the second lead screw sleeve are coaxially disposed. A plurality of through holes are disposed on the first lead screw sleeve. A plurality of protrusions are disposed on the outer wall of the lead screw nut and pass through the plurality of through holes one to one. The length of the second lead screw sleeve can be adjusted and the length of the first lead screw sleeve can be fixed.

A drive device comprises a housing, a drive portion, a spindle member to rotate by driving of the drive portion, a nut member screwed with the spindle member); a moving member coupled to the nut member, and a rotation regulating portion which suppresses rotation of the nut member to move the nut member) in an axis X direction of the spindle member, wherein the moving member has a fragile portion to be broken by a predetermined force being weaker than a force required to break the nut member, and the fragile portion is configured that a fracture portion with which the nut member is pressable by the moving member toward the drive portion is formable when the fragile portion is broken.

An opening/closing body opening/closing device includes: an opening/closing body; a closing mechanism; an opening/driving body driving section; a control section; and a position detection section. The closing mechanism includes an engaging portion, an engaged portion, a closing mechanism-side driving section, and an interaction detection section. The control section causes the closing mechanism-side driving section to perform closing driving and, after the closing driving, sets the engaging part to an open state so as to allow the closing mechanism to lock the opening/closing body through engagement between the engaging portion and the engaged portion when a positional difference between a current position and an engageable position of the opening/closing body is outside a predetermined range. Use of the opening/closing body opening/closing device makes a zero position of the opening/closing body settable in an originally supposed position even when the closing mechanism operates while the opening/closing body is in an improper position.

A door system and related method for a passenger door for a motor vehicle is provided for preventing inadvertent movement of the passenger door from a presented position toward an open position and a closed position until desired. The system includes latch with a safety catch and a door presenter. The latch and door presenter are configured for coordinated movement to allow the door to move from the closed position to the presented position and to be maintained in the presented position. The safety catch blocks the door from moving to the open position, and the door presenter blocks the door from moving to the closed position. Subsequent actuation releases the safety catch or retracts the door presenter to allow the door to open or close from the presented position.