DRIVING DEVICE FOR MOVING A TAILGATE

Abstract

A driving device for moving a tailgate of a vehicle, comprising a permanent magnet brake, which comprises a stationary portion, a first braking element, which is rotatable relative to the stationary portion about a rotational axis, and a second braking element, which is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on the stationary portion, is axially offset from the first braking element along the rotational axis and cooperates with the first braking element in order to generate a braking force. The first braking element and/or the second braking element have a permanent magnet or are formed by a permanent magnet, a magnetic attraction force acts between the first braking element and the second braking element axially along the rotational axis. Axially between the first braking element and the second braking element is arranged a friction element, which is in frictional contact with the first braking element and the second braking element.

Claims

1. A driving device for moving a tailgate of a vehicle, comprising a permanent magnet brake, which comprises a stationary portion, a first braking element, which is rotatable relative to the stationary portion about a rotational axis, and a second braking element, which is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on the stationary portion, is axially offset from the first braking element along the rotational axis and cooperates with the first braking element in order to generate a braking force, wherein the first braking element and/or the second braking element have a permanent magnet or are formed by a permanent magnet, and a magnetic attraction force acts between the first braking element and the second braking element axially along the rotational axis, wherein axially between the first braking element and the second braking element is arranged a friction element, which is in frictional contact with the first braking element and the second braking element.

2. The driving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the braking elements has a permanent magnet or is formed by a permanent magnet, and the other of the braking elements has a ferromagnetic armature or is formed by a ferromagnetic armature.

3. The driving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second braking element is produced from steel.

4. The driving device claimed in claim 1, wherein the friction element is produced from a non-magnetic material, in particular plastic.

5. The driving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first braking element and the second braking element extend respectively in a disk shape about the rotational axis.

6. The driving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the friction element extends in a disk shape about the rotational axis.

7. The driving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stationary portion is formed by a housing having a receiving opening in which the first braking element, the second braking element and the friction element are arranged.

8. The driving device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the housing is produced from a non-magnetic material, in particular plastic.

9. The driving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second braking element is connected to the stationary portion in a positive-locking manner about the rotational axis for the rotationally fixed securement.

10. The driving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second braking element has an axial play relative to the stationary portion.

11. The driving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein two second braking elements are arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on the stationary portion, wherein the second braking elements are arranged on axially different sides of the first braking element, a magnetic attraction force acts between the second braking elements and the first braking element axially along the rotational axis, and between each second braking element and the first braking element is arranged a friction element.

12. The driving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first braking element is fixedly arranged on an output shaft of the driving device and is turnable, together with the output shaft, relative to the stationary portion.

13. The driving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first braking element has a permanent magnet or is formed by a permanent magnet, and is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to a disk element, in particular a steel disk, produced from a ferromagnetic material and providing a magnetic yoke.

14. The driving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the permanent magnet of the first and/or of the second braking element has a plurality of magnetic poles, which are mutually offset along a peripheral direction about the rotational axis.

15. The driving device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the permanent magnet of the first and/or of the second braking element has a plurality of magnetic pole pairs mutually offset along the peripheral direction, respectively comprising a North pole and a South pole.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] The idea on which the invention is founded shall be explained in greater detail below on the basis of the illustrative embodiments represented in the figures.

[0040] FIG. 1 shows a general view of a driving device having a permanent magnet brake.

[0041] FIGS. 2A, 2B show perspective exploded views of the permanent magnet brake.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the permanent magnet brake.

[0043] FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a vehicle having a driving device for moving a tailgate.

[0044] FIGS. 5A, 5B show exploded views of a further illustrative embodiment of a permanent magnet brake.

[0045] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view longitudinally through the permanent magnet brake.

[0046] FIG. 7 shows a schematic view of a braking element having magnetic poles which are mutually offset along the peripheral direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] FIG. 1 shows in a perspective view a driving device 2, which has a permanent magnet brake 1. The driving device 2 is configured as an electric motor and has in a housing 20 a stator which is stationary relative to the housing 20 and a rotor which is rotatable relative to the stator. The rotor is rotatable about a rotational axis D and drives an output shaft 21, on which is arranged a pinion element 22 for driving, for instance, a subordinate gear mechanism for the movement of a vehicle part.

[0048] As can be seen from FIG. 4, the driving device 2 serves to move a tailgate 40 of a vehicle. The driving device 2 acts between the tailgate 40 and a body 41 of the vehicle 4 in a manner which is known per se. In this case, the driving device 2 can be configured, for instance, as a spindle drive, in which the pinion element 22 arranged on the output shaft 21 is configured as a spindle rotatable about the rotational axis D or drives a spindle via a suitable gear mechanism. In this case, a spindle nut is in threaded engagement with the spindle, which spindle nut, by rotary motion of the spindle about the rotational axis D, can be moved longitudinally along the rotational axis D in order in this way to displace a push rod 24 and thereby move the tailgate 40.

[0049] In principle, a driving device 2 of the type here described can, however, also be used to move vehicle parts of a totally different type.

[0050] The driving device 2 cooperates with a permanent magnet brake 1. Exploded views of this permanent magnet brake 1 are represented in FIGS. 2A and 2B. FIG. 3 shows a sectional view in a sectional plane directed longitudinally along the rotational axis D.

[0051] The permanent magnet brake 1 has a stationary portion in the form of a housing 10, which is fixedly connected, on the one hand, to the housing 20 of the driving device 2 and, on the other hand, to a housing 30 of a subordinate gear mechanism 3 (see FIG. 3). The housing 10 comprises two housing part 100, 101, which in the mounted state of the permanent magnet brake 1 are attached to each other and jointly border a receiving opening 102.

[0052] In the receiving opening 102 of the housing 10 are arranged a first braking element 11 and two second braking elements 14, 15. The braking elements 11, 14, 15 are respectively configured as annular disks and arranged concentrically to the rotational axis D in the housing 10.

[0053] In the represented illustrative embodiment, the first braking element 11 arranged axially between the second braking elements 14, 15 is configured as a permanent magnet disk, while the second braking elements 14, 15 are respectively configured as a steel disk (having ferromagnetic properties). Acting between the first braking element 11 and the second braking elements 14, 15 is a magnetic attraction force, which causes the second braking elements 14, 15 to be drawn respectively toward the first braking element 11.

[0054] Between the first braking element 11 and the second braking elements 14, 15 arranged axially on both sides of the first braking element 11 is respectively arranged a friction element 12, 13 in the form of a friction disk concentric to the rotational axis D. Due to the magnetic attraction between the first braking element 11 and the second braking elements 14, 15, the friction elements 12, 13 are respectively in frictional contact, on the one hand, with the first braking element 11 and, on the other hand, with a second braking element 14, 15, wherein the axial distance between the first braking element 11 and an every second braking element 14, 15 is set in a defined manner by the axial thickness of the intervening friction element 12, 13.

[0055] The friction elements 12, 13 configured as annular disks can have a very small axial thickness of less than 1 mm, for instance between 0.05 mm and 0.15 mm, for instance 0.1 mm. Between the first braking element 11 and the second braking elements 14, 15 there is thus a very small gap, which is set by the thickness of the respectively intervening friction element 12, 13. The magnetic attraction force between the first braking element 11 and the second braking elements 14, 15 arranged on both sides of the first braking element 11 is thus large and, during operation, at least approximately invariable.

[0056] The first braking element 11 is rotatable about the rotational axis D and, to this end, as represented in FIG. 3, is fixedly arranged on a portion 220 of the pinion element 22. The first braking element 11 can be press-molded, for instance, to the portion 220 of the pinion element 22. During operation, the first braking element 11 is thus turned about the rotational axis D together with the pinion element 22 and the output shaft 21 of the driving device 2.

[0057] The second braking elements 14, 15, by contrast, are arranged concentrically to the rotational axis D, yet are secured in a rotationally fixed manner relative to the housing 10, in that projections 103, 104 within the receiving opening 102 of the housing 10 engage positively in radially inward pointing recesses 141, 151 on the peripheral outer rim of the second braking elements 14, 15. During operation, the second braking elements 14, 15 thus maintain their rotational position relative to the housing 10, so that, upon a rotary motion of the output shaft 21, the first braking element 11 is moved relative to the second braking elements 14, 15.

[0058] The second braking elements 14, 15 are secured in a rotationally fixed manner relative to the housing 10. In this case, however, the second braking elements 14, 15 have a (slight) axial play within the receiving opening 102. The axial position of the second braking elements 14, 15 relative to the first braking element 11 is set by the magnetic attraction between the first braking element 11 and the second braking elements 14, 15 and by the friction elements 12, 13 arranged between the first braking element 11 and the second braking elements 14, 15.

[0059] As can be seen from FIG. 2B, the housing parts 100, 101, just like the first and second braking elements 11, 14, 15 and the friction elements 12, 13, respectively have a central opening 105, 106, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, through which the output shaft 21, with the pinion element 22 arranged thereon, extends.

[0060] As can be seen from the sectional view according to FIG. 3, the output shaft 21 of the driving device 2 is mounted via a bearing device 23, for instance a ball bearing, relative to the housing 20 of the driving device 2. The pinion element 22 has an output pinion 221, which is in intermeshing engagement with gearwheels of a gear mechanism 3, so that, upon a rotary motion of the output shaft 21, the gear mechanism 3 is driven by the output pinion 221.

[0061] Such a gear mechanism can in principle have any chosen form, so that FIG. 3 should be construed in this context as purely exemplary. For instance, the driving device 2 with a subordinate gear mechanism 3 can realize a spindle drive for the driving of a spindle.

[0062] As can be seen from FIG. 3, the housing part 100 is fixedly connected to the housing 20 of the driving device 2 and the housing part 101 is fixedly connected to the housing 30 of the gear mechanism 3. The housing 10 of the permanent magnet brake 1 is thus secured in its position between the housings 20, 30 of the driving device 2, on the one hand, and of the gear mechanism 3, on the other hand.

[0063] In the represented illustrative embodiment, the permanent magnet brake 1 is non-switchable and always provides an at least approximately constant braking force. The permanent magnet brake 1 thus produces a sluggishness of movement of the output shaft 21, which can be dimensioned, for instance, such that the driving device 2 can readily overcome the sluggishness in order to move a vehicle part 40, whereas a self-movement of the vehicle part 40 independently of the driving device 2 is not readily possible, or is at least braked.

[0064] For instance, the braking effect provided by the permanent magnet brake 1 can be dimensioned such that a tailgate 40 (see FIG. 4), once a set position has been reached, cannot move out of this set position of its own accord.

[0065] In the represented illustrative embodiment, the axially central, first braking element 11 is configured as a permanent magnet, while the second braking elements 14, 15 arranged on both sides of the first braking element 11 are configured as steel disks having ferromagnetic properties. However, it is also conceivable to configure one or both of the second braking elements 14, 15 as permanent magnets. In this case, the first braking element 11 can likewise be configured as a permanent magnet or alternatively as a ferromagnetic armature element, for instance as a steel disk having ferromagnetic properties. Crucial in this context is merely that a magnetic attraction force is produced between the braking elements 11, 14, 15.

[0066] The first braking element 11, configured as a permanent magnet, can be poled, for instance, such that a North pole points toward one of the second braking elements 14, 15 and a South pole points toward the other second braking element 15, 14.

[0067] By selecting the interposed friction elements 12, 13, it is possible to set the braking effect. In particular, by selecting the axial thicknesses of the friction elements 12, 13, it is possible to set the gap between the first braking element 11 and the second braking elements 14, 15, which influences the magnetic attraction force between the braking elements 11, 14, 15, and thus the provided braking force. In general, if the axial distance between the braking elements 11, 14, 15 is increased, the magnetic attraction force, and thus the friction force which is produced between the braking elements 11, 14, 15 and the friction elements 12, 13 and which leads to the braking, is reduced.

[0068] The permanent magnet brake 1 is not limited to the use of a first braking element 11 and two second braking elements 14, 15. Rather, it is also conceivable and possible to use more than one first braking element 11 and more than two second braking elements 14, 15, wherein between two second braking elements 14, 15 respectively a first braking element 11 and between two first braking elements 11 respectively a second braking element 14, 15 is arranged.

[0069] A further illustrative embodiment of a permanent magnet brake is shown by FIGS. 5A, 5B and 6.

[0070] In this illustrative embodiment, a braking element 14 in the form of an armature element formed by a steel disk is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner in a housing part 100. For this purpose, the braking element 14 lies with recesses 141 on the outer periphery of the braking element 14 in engagement with projections 103 within a receiving opening 102 formed in the housing part 100, so that the braking element 14 is held in a rotationally fixed manner on the housing part 100.

[0071] The braking element 14 can in this case be movable axially along the rotational axis D at least slightly relative to the housing part 100, so that the braking element 14 is not axially secured relative to the housing part 100.

[0072] The housing 10 is completed by a further housing part 101 in the form of a cap, which is to be attached to the housing part 100 and, with projections 104, enters into engagement with associated recesses on the rim of the housing part 100, so that the housing part 101 is held in a rotationally fixed manner on the housing part 100. Moreover, on the housing part 100 are provided latching hooks 107, which establish a latching connection between the housing part 100 and the housing part 101 and, for this purpose, engage in associated latching recesses 108 on the peripheral rim of the housing part 101 when the housing part 101 is attached to the housing part 100.

[0073] A further braking element 11 is arranged on the output shaft 21 of the driving device 2, as can be seen from the sectional view according to FIG. 6. To this end, the braking element 11 is secured relative to output shaft 21 via a portion 220 of the output pinion 221, so that, upon a rotary motion of the output shaft 21 about the rotational axis D, the braking element 11 is turned together with the output shaft 21.

[0074] In the represented illustrative embodiment, the braking element 11 is configured as a permanent magnet.

[0075] To the braking element 11 is connected a disk element 15′ in the form of a steel disk, in that the disk element 15′, with recesses 151′ on the peripheral rim of the disk element 15′, is in positive engagement with projections 113 on that side 112 of the braking element 11 which is facing the disk element 15′. Upon a turning of the braking element 11, the disk element 15′ is thus turned together with the braking element 11.

[0076] As can be seen from the sectional view according to FIG. 6, the disk element 15′ lies in the receiving opening 102 of the housing 10 with play relative to the housing part 101. The disk element 15′ is thus not in contact with the housing part 101 and, during operation of the driving device 2, provides no (significant) friction forces which would help to increase the braking force of the permanent magnet brake 1.

[0077] In this illustrative embodiment, the disk element 15′ serves, in particular, as a magnetic yoke, which conducts a magnetic flux of the braking element 11 configured as a permanent magnet.

[0078] Between the rotatable braking element 11 and the housing-fixed braking element 14 is arranged a friction element 12, which is configured as an annular disk and can have, for instance, a small axial thickness of less than 1 mm. The friction element 12 defines an axial distance between the braking elements 11, 14, which distance is determined by the axial thickness of the friction element 12. For instance, the thickness of the friction elements 12 can be between 0.05 mm and 0.15 mm, for instance 0.1 mm.

[0079] During operation, the braking elements 11, 14 respectively rub against the friction element 12, wherein the friction element 12 is preferably fastened neither to the braking element 11 nor to the braking element 14. The braking force provided by the permanent magnet brake 1 is set by the magnetic attraction between the braking element 11 and the braking element 14, which magnetic attraction determines the friction forces between the braking elements 11, 14 and the friction element 12.

[0080] The output shaft 21 extends through the openings 105, 106 in the housing parts 100, 101 and additionally extends through the openings 140, 120 in the braking element 14 and in the friction element 12. The braking element 11 is connected to the output shaft 21 in a rotationally fixed manner, in that the braking element 11 is fixedly connected to that portion 220 of the output pinion 221 which lies in the opening 110 of the braking element 11, for instance is press-molded to the portion 220. The disk element 15′ is connected to the braking element 11 in a rotationally fixed manner, but is not itself secured directly to the output shaft 21, which extends through the central opening 150′ of the disk element 15′.

[0081] In the illustrative embodiment according to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3 and in the illustrative embodiment according to FIGS. 5A, 5B and 6, the permanent magnet of the braking element 11 can be configured as a multipolar magnet, as is illustrated schematically in FIG. 7. In this way, the permanent magnet can have a plurality of N, S magnetic poles, which are mutually offset in the peripheral direction about the rotational axis D and which are arranged alternately to one another about the rotational axis D and are formed by sectors of the annular permanent magnet. For instance, a plurality of, for instance three, four or five, magnetic pole pairs 114 can in this case be present.

[0082] By selecting the number of magnetic pole pairs 114, it is possible to set the braking force. In principle, the more magnetic pole pairs 114 are present, the higher is the braking force.

[0083] In the illustrative embodiment according to FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3, the braking elements 14, 15 (also) form a magnetic yoke for the magnetic flux produced by the permanent magnet of the braking element 11. Similarly, in the illustrative embodiment according to FIGS. 5A, 5B and 6, the disk element 15′ serves as a magnetic yoke.

[0084] The braking element 11 configured as a permanent magnet can be produced, for instance, as a sintered part. It is, however, also conceivable and possible, for instance, to produce the braking element 11 as a plastics molding, for instance as a plastics injection molded part, in which case magnetic particles for the provision of the permanent magnet effect are embedded in the plastics material.

[0085] The idea on which the invention is founded is not limited to the previously depicted illustrative embodiments, but can in principle also be realized in embodiments of a totally different type.

[0086] A permanent magnet effect on a braking element can be achieved by the braking element being produced in total as a permanent magnet, thus from a permanent-magnetic material. It is, however, also conceivable and possible to arrange individual permanent magnet elements on the respective braking element.

[0087] In a particularly simple embodiment, the permanent magnet brake is non-switchable. In principle, it is, however, also conceivable to provide a switching device, while using, for instance, an electromagnet by means of which the magnetic force of the permanent magnet can be influenced, and thus the permanent magnet brake switched between different states.

REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

[0088] 1 permanent magnet brake [0089] 10 housing [0090] 100, 101 housing part [0091] 102 receiving opening [0092] 103, 104 projection [0093] 105, 106 opening [0094] 107 latching hooks [0095] 108 latching recesses [0096] 109 inner side [0097] 11 permanent magnet disk [0098] 110 opening [0099] 111, 112 side [0100] 113 projection [0101] 114 magnetic pole pair [0102] 12, 13 friction disk [0103] 120, 130 opening [0104] 14, 15, 15′ armature element [0105] 140, 150, 150′ opening [0106] 141, 151, 151′ recess [0107] 2 driving device [0108] 20 housing [0109] 21 output shaft [0110] 22 pinion element [0111] 220 portion [0112] 221 output pinion [0113] 23 bearing device [0114] 24 push rod [0115] 3 gear mechanism [0116] 30 housing [0117] 4 vehicle [0118] 40 tailgate [0119] 41 body [0120] D rotational axis [0121] V direction of movement