Actuator for a rear axle steering system of a vehicle and rear axle steering system having such an actuator

Abstract

An actuator (1) for a rear axle steering system of a vehicle includes a thrust rod (2) which is longitudinally displaceable within a housing (3). The thrust rod (2) has a rotation lock (4) having a guide element (5) which is guided in the axial direction in a single-part or multi-part slide rail (6) arranged on the housing (3). An elastomer ring (7) is arranged between the slide rail (6) and the housing (3).

Claims

1. An actuator for a rear axle steering system of a vehicle, comprising a thrust rod which is longitudinally displaceable within a housing, the thrust rod having a rotation lock with a guide element which is guided in the axial direction in a slide rail arranged on the housing, wherein an elastomer ring is arranged between the slide rail and the housing.

2. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the slide rail is constructed in two parts consisting of a first rail element and a second rail element.

3. The actuator according to claim 2, wherein the elastomer ring is arranged around the two rail elements.

4. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the guide element is at least partially received in a recess on the thrust rod and is fastened to the thrust rod by means of at least one screw element.

5. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein a sensor device is provided, comprising at least one sensor element and a measurement object, wherein the measurement object is arranged on the guide element and is effectively connected to the at least one sensor element, which is fastened at least indirectly to the housing.

6. The actuator according to claim 5, wherein the at least one sensor element is a linear sensor.

7. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the guide element or the slide rail is made from plastic.

8. A rear-axle steering system for a vehicle, comprising an actuator according to claim 1.

9. A vehicle comprising a rear axle steering system according to claim 8.

10. An actuator for a rear axle steering system of a vehicle, comprising: a housing; at least one slide rail supported with respect to the housing via an elastomer ring; a thrust rod which is displaceable in an axial direction within the housing; and a guide element fixed to the thrust rod and guided in the axial direction by the slide rail.

11. The actuator according to claim 10, wherein the at least one slide rail consist of a first rail element and a second rail element.

12. The actuator according to claim 11, wherein the first rail element and the second rail element are C-shaped and are separated on each end by a gap.

13. The actuator according to claim 11, wherein the elastomer ring is arranged around the first and second rail elements.

14. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the guide element is at least partially received in a recess on the thrust rod and is fastened to the thrust rod by means of at least one screw element.

15. The actuator according to claim 10, further comprising a sensor device having at least one sensor element fixed with respect to the housing and a measurement object fixed with respect to the guide element.

16. The actuator according to claim 15, wherein the sensor device is a linear sensor.

17. The actuator according to claim 10, wherein the guide element is made from plastic.

18. The actuator according to claim 10, wherein the at least one slide rail is made from plastic.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Further measures are shown in more detail below together with the description of an exemplary embodiment based on the figures. In the figures

[0016] FIG. 1 shows a simplified schematic view of a rear axle steering system,

[0017] FIG. 2 shows a schematic exploded view of an actuator,

[0018] FIG. 3 shows a schematic longitudinal sectional illustration of the actuator according to FIG. 2, and

[0019] FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross-sectional representation of the actuator according to FIGS. 2 and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] According to FIG. 1, a rear axle steering system for a vehicle—not shown here—is shown which comprises an actuator 1 having a housing 3 in which a thrust rod 2 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is longitudinally guided. By means of the thrust rod 2, adjustments can be made in a steering angle of respective vehicle wheels—also not shown here—which are at least indirectly arranged on fork elements 14 of the rear axle steering system. Furthermore, the rear axle steering system has a drive unit 15 which at least indirectly displaces the thrust rod 2 into a longitudinal displacement.

[0021] According to FIGS. 2 through 4, the thrust rod 2, which is axially displaceable along the housing 3, has a rotation lock 4 with a guide element 5, wherein the guide element 5 is axially guided in a two-part slide rail 6 arranged on the housing 3. As can be seen particularly well from FIGS. 3 and 4, the guide element 5 is inserted into a recess 8 on the thrust rod 2 and fastened to the thrust rod 2 by means of two screw elements 9 for a fixed connection.

[0022] The two-part slide rail 6 consists of a first and second rail element 6a, 6b, wherein the two rail elements 6a, 6b jointly form an elongated hole 19 on the mutually facing sides thereof in which the guide element 5 is longitudinally guided in a displacement direction 16. The guide element 5 and the rail elements 6a, 6b of the slide rail 6 are formed from a plastic.

[0023] The actuator 1 also has a sensor device 10 designed as a linear sensor, which has a sensor element 11 arranged in a cover 17 and a measurement object 12 as a sensor counterpart which is firmly connected to the guide element 5. The cover 17 is fixed to the housing 3 by means of four screw elements 18. During an axial displacement of the thrust rod 2, a relative axial position of the thrust rod 2 with respect to the housing 3 can be detected by means of the sensor device 10. The sensor element 11 is therefore operatively connected to the measurement object.

[0024] FIGS. 3 and 4 show in more detail that an elastomer ring 7 is arranged between the slide rail 6 and the housing 3. The elastomer ring 7 is arranged around the two rail elements 6a, 6b and is designed to be oversized, i.e., the elastomer ring 7 is designed in relation to the rail elements 6a, 6b in such a way that the rail elements 6a, 6b are permanently pre-tensioned towards the guide element 5. In other words, a permanent contact between the rail elements 6a, 6b and the guide element 5 is realized that is free of play, whereby a switching noise within the actuator 1 is prevented while reversing the direction of rotation of a drive unit which sets the thrust rod 2 in a longitudinal movement. A rotation lock of the tie rod 2 with respect to the housing 7 that is free of play is thus implemented, with structure-borne sound transmission between the tie rod 2 and the housing 3 being prevented by the elastomer ring 7.

[0025] According to FIG. 2, the two rail elements 6a, 6b are essentially C-shaped or U-shaped, the two rail elements 6a, 6b extending essentially in parallel to the direction of displacement 16 of the guide element 5. A respective gap 20 is formed between the rail elements 6a, 6b which enables the rail elements 6a, 6b to be displaced transversely to the direction of displacement 16, that is, in the direction of the guide element 5.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0026] 1 Actuator [0027] 2 Thrust rod [0028] 3 Housing [0029] 4 Rotation lock [0030] 5 Guide element [0031] 6 Slide rail [0032] 6a, 6b Rail element [0033] 7 Elastomer ring [0034] 8 Recess [0035] 9 Screw element [0036] 10 Sensor device [0037] 11 Sensor element [0038] 12 Measurement object [0039] 14 Fork element [0040] 15 Drive unit [0041] 16 Direction of displacement [0042] 17 Cover [0043] 18 Screw element for cover [0044] 19 Elongated hole [0045] 20 Gap