Drive device for a window lifter having a gear cover

Abstract

A drive device for use in an adjusting apparatus configured to adjust a vehicle part, including a drive housing provided with a housing pot, a drive gear disposed in the housing pot and rotatable about an axis of rotation, an output element operatively connected to the drive gear, and a gear cover, connected to the housing pot and annularly extending about the axis of rotation, and including a cover body provided with a first edge portion connected to the housing pot and a second edge portion protruding radially inwards relative to the first edge portion. A height measured axially between the first edge portion and the second edge portion varies with respect to a circumferential direction about the axis of rotation.

Claims

1. A drive device for use in an adjusting apparatus configured to adjust a vehicle part, the drive device comprising: a drive housing including a housing pot; a drive gear disposed in the housing pot and rotatable about an axis of rotation; an output element operatively connected to the drive gear; and a gear cover connected to the housing pot and annularly extending about the axis of rotation, wherein the gear cover including a cover body provided with a first edge portion connected to the housing pot and a second edge portion protruding radially inwards relative to the first edge portion, wherein a height measured axially between the first edge portion and the second edge portion varies with respect a circumferential direction about the axis of rotation, wherein the first edge portion extends flatly along a plane directed obliquely to the axis of rotation.

2. The drive device of claim 1, wherein the second edge portion extends along a plane directed perpendicularly to the axis of rotation.

3. The drive device of claim 1, wherein the first edge portion includes a first section and a second section, wherein the first section is spaced apart from the second edge portion by a first height and the second section is spaced apart from the second edge portion by a second height, wherein the second height is greater than the first height.

4. The drive device of claim 1, wherein the first edge portion of the gear cover is circumferentially connected to the drive housing.

5. The drive device of claim 1, wherein the gear cover includes a sealing element disposed on the cover body and configured to seal a transition to the drive gear.

6. The drive device of claim 5, wherein the sealing element is connected to the second edge portion.

7. The drive device of claim 5, wherein the sealing element is integrally connected to the cover body by means of two-component plastic injection molding or the sealing element is fabricated as a separate element attached to the cover body.

8. The drive device of claim 5, wherein the drive gear includes a rotational body and a collar axially protruding from the rotational body along the axis of rotation, wherein the sealing element sealingly cooperates with the collar.

9. The drive device of claim 1, further comprising: a motor unit including an electric motor and a drive shaft configured to be driven by the electric motor.

10. The drive device of claim 9, wherein the drive shaft includes a drive worm provided with a worm toothing.

11. The drive device of claim 9, wherein the drive gear is operatively connected to the drive shaft and configured to be driven by the drive shaft.

12. The drive device of claim 11, wherein the output element is a cable drum configured to move a traction cable connected to the vehicle part.

13. An assembly comprising: a drive device including, a drive housing including a housing pot; a drive gear disposed in the housing pot and rotatable about an axis of rotation; an output element operatively connected to the drive gear; and a gear cover connected to the housing pot and annularly extending about the axis of rotation, wherein the gear cover including a cover body provided with a first edge portion connected to the housing pot and a second edge portion protruding radially inwards relative to the first edge portion; a motor pot; and a carrier element connected to the drive device, wherein the drive housing and the drive gear are enclosed in the motor pot, and the gear cover, connected to the motor pot, is arranged on a first side of the carrier element and the output element is arranged on a second side of the carrier element, wherein the first edge portion extends flatly along a plane directed obliquely to the axis of rotation.

14. The drive device of claim 4, wherein the first edge portion of the gear cover is welded to the drive housing.

15. A drive device configured to adjust a vehicle part, the drive device comprising: a drive housing including a housing pot; a drive gear disposed in the housing pot and rotatable about an axis of rotation; and a gear cover having an annular shape and including a first edge portion, fixed to the housing pot, a second edge portion, and an axial connecting portion disposed therebetween, wherein a first portion of the first edge portion is spaced apart from the second edge portion by a first height and a second portion of the first edge portion is spaced apart from the second edge portion by a second height, wherein the second height is greater than the first height, wherein the first edge portion extends flatly along a plane directed obliquely to the axis of rotation.

16. The drive device of claim 15, wherein the second portion of the first edge portion is formed by a tapered lip.

17. The drive device of claim 15, further comprising: a sealing element integral with the second edge portion.

18. The drive device of claim 17, wherein the sealing element has a frustoconical shape.

19. The drive device of claim 17, wherein the drive gear includes a rotational body and a collar axially extending from the rotational body, wherein the collar and the sealing element collectively form a seal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The idea underlying the invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the Figures. In the drawing:

(2) FIG. 1A shows an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of a drive device;

(3) FIG. 1B shows the exploded view of FIG. 1A, from another perspective;

(4) FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a window lifter device;

(5) FIG. 3 shows a view of an exemplary embodiment of a drive housing with a drive gear rotatably accommodated thereon and a gear cover;

(6) FIG. 4 shows another view of the drive housing of FIG. 3;

(7) FIG. 5 shows a partly sectional view of the drive housing with the drive gear enclosed therein and the gear cover;

(8) FIG. 6 shows another view of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 5;

(9) FIG. 7 shows a sectionally enlarged representation of the view of FIG. 6;

(10) FIG. 8 shows frontal view of the arrangement of FIG. 6;

(11) FIG. 9 shows a separate view of the gear cover;

(12) FIG. 10 shows a cut-free view of another exemplary embodiment of gear cover on a housing pot of a drive housing of a drive device;

(13) FIG. 11 shows a sectionally enlarged representation of the view of FIG. 10;

(14) FIG. 12 shows a view again of another exemplary embodiment of gear cover on a housing pot of a drive housing of a drive device;

(15) FIG. 13 shows a view of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 12, with the gear cover separated from the drive housing;

(16) FIG. 14 shows another view of the arrangement of FIG. 13;

(17) FIG. 15 shows a separate view of the gear cover of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 12 to 14;

(18) FIG. 16 shows a sectional view of the drive device of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 12 to 15; and

(19) FIG. 17 shows a view of a cable outlet housing on a side of a carrier element facing away from the drive housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(20) As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

(21) In a drive for an adjusting apparatus in a motor vehicle, which is known from DE 10 2004 044 863 A1, a cable drum is arranged on a bearing dome of a drive housing, wherein the drive housing is connected to a carrier element in the form of an assembly carrier via a fastening element in the form of a screw.

(22) A drive device for a window lifter, which for example is to be mounted on a carrier element in the form of an assembly carrier of a door module on a vehicle side door, and thus is to be enclosed within a vehicle side door, will have advantageous operating properties, in particular a smooth-running behavior with low vibration excitation on the carrier element, and also will efficiently utilize the available installation space. There is a need to provide the drive device with a compact design, wherein the drive device however must provide a sufficient torque in order to ensure a reliable adjustment of the adjustment part to be adjusted, for example of the window pane.

(23) In such a drive device, a gear cover serves to at least sectionally delimit an interior space of the housing pot in such a way that the drive gear is enclosed in the housing pot with the participation of the gear cover. Via such a gear cover, a sealing can be provided with respect to the drive gear rotatably accommodated in the housing pot, so that moisture cannot get into the area of the drive gear and of a drive motor operatively connected to the drive element from outside, in particular from the area of the output element configured as a cable drum.

(24) FIGS. 1A, 1B show an exemplary embodiment of a drive device 1 which for example can be used as a drive in an adjusting apparatus for adjusting a window pane for example of a vehicle side door.

(25) Such an adjusting apparatus in the form of a window lifter, shown in FIG. 2 by way of example, for instance includes a pair of guide rails 11 on each of which a carrier 12, which is coupled to a window pane 13, can be adjusted. Each carrier 12 is coupled to a drive device 1 via a power transmission element in the form of a traction cable 10, which is configured for the transmission of (exclusively) tensile forces, wherein the traction cable 10 forms a closed cable loop and with its ends therefor is connected to an output element in the form of a cable drum 3 (see for example FIGS. 1A and 1B) of the drive device 1. The traction cable 10 extends from the drive device 1 around deflection pulleys 110 at the lower ends of the guide rails 11 towards the carriers 12 and from the carriers 12 around deflection pulleys 111 at the upper ends of the guide rails 11 back to the drive device 1.

(26) In operation, a motor unit of the drive device 1 drives the cable drum 3 in such a way that the traction cable 10 is wound up onto the cable drum 3 with one end and is unwound from the cable drum 3 with the other end. As a result, the cable loop formed by the traction cable 10 is shifted without changing the freely extended cable length, which leads to the fact that the carrier 12 moves on the guide rails 11 in the same direction and the window pane 13 thereby is adjusted along the guide rails 11.

(27) In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the window lifter is arranged on an assembly carrier 4 of a door module. The assembly carrier 4 for example can be fixed to a door inner panel of a vehicle door and constitutes a premounted unit, which in the premounted state can be mounted on the vehicle door with the window lifter arranged on the assembly carrier 4.

(28) The drive device 1 of the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1A, 1B is arranged on a surface portion 40 of a carrier element 4 realized for example by an assembly carrier of a door module and includes a cable outlet housing 2 arranged on a first side of the carrier element 4 and a drive housing 7 arranged on a second side of the carrier element 4 facing away from the first side. The cable outlet housing 2 serves to mount the cable drum 3 on the carrier element 4, while the drive housing 7 among other things encloses a drive gear 6 which can be driven via a motor unit 8 and is connected to the cable drum 3 so that the cable drum 3 can be driven by rotating the drive gear 6.

(29) When properly arranged for example on a vehicle door of a vehicle, the cable drum 3 on the first side of the carrier element 4 is arranged in a wet space of the vehicle door. The drive housing 7 on the other hand is located in the dry space of the vehicle door. The separation between wet space and dry space is produced by the carrier element 4, and the interface between the drive gear 6 and the cable drum 3 correspondingly is to be sealed in a moisture-tight way so that no moisture can get from the wet space into the dry space.

(30) The cable outlet housing 2 has a bottom 20, a cylindrical bearing element 22 in the form of a bearing dome centrally protruding from the bottom 20, and housing portions 21 in the form of housing webs extending parallel to the cylindrical bearing element 22, which are radially spaced from the bearing element 22. The cable drum 3 is rotatably mounted on the bearing element 22 and enclosed by the cable outlet housing 2 in such a way that the cable drum 3 is held on the carrier element 4.

(31) The cable drum 3 has a body 30 and, on the circumferential shell surface of the body 30, a cable groove 300 formed in the body 30 for accommodating the traction cable 10. With an internal gear 31, the cable drum 3 is inserted into an opening 41 of the carrier element 4 and is non-rotatably connected to the drive gear 6 so that a rotary movement of the drive gear 6 leads to a rotary movement of the cable drum 3.

(32) The drive housing 7 is attached to another, second side of the carrier element 4 and includes a housing pot 70 with a bearing element 72 centrally formed therein in the form of a cylindrical bearing dome, which reaches through an opening 62 of the drive gear 6 and in this way rotatably supports the drive gear 6. The housing pot 70 is adjoined by a worm housing 74 with a drive worm 81 resting therein, which is non-rotatably connected to a drive shaft 800 of an electric motor 80 of the motor unit 8 and via a worm toothing is in meshing engagement with an external toothing 600 of a rotational body 60 of the drive gear 6. The drive shaft 800 is mounted in the worm housing 74 via a bearing at its end facing away from the electric motor 80. The electric motor 80 rests in a motor pot 73 of the drive housing 7, which is closed towards the outside via a housing cover 75.

(33) The drive housing 7 also includes an electronics housing 76 in which a circuit board 760 with an electronic control unit arranged thereon is enclosed. The electronics housing 76 is closed towards the outside via a housing plate 761 with a connector 762 arranged thereon for electrically connecting the electronics of the circuit board 760.

(34) The drive gear 6 includes a connecting gear 61, axially protruding from the rotational body 60, with an external toothing 610 formed thereon, which is in engagement with the internal gear 31 of the cable drum 3 in such a way that an internal toothing 310 of the internal gear 31 (see for example FIG. 1B) is in meshing engagement with the external toothing 610 of the connecting gear 61. In this way, the drive gear 6 and the cable drum 3 are non-rotatably connected to each other so that the cable drum 3 can be rotated by driving the drive gear 6 on the carrier element 4.

(35) For mounting the drive device 1, the cable outlet housing 2 on the one hand is attached to the carrier element 4 and the drive housing 7 on the other hand is attached to the carrier element 4. The attachment to the carrier element 4 then is effected by inserting a fastening element 9 in the form of a screw element into an engagement opening 721 on the bottom side of the drive housing 7 in such a way that the fastening element 9 extends through an opening 720 in the bearing element 72 of the drive housing 7 and centrally engages into an opening 221 within the bearing element 22 of the cable outlet housing 2. Via the fastening element 9, the cable outlet housing 2 and the drive housing 7 are axially braced relative to each other on the bearing elements 22, 72 and thereby fixed to the carrier element 4.

(36) For assembly, the cable outlet housing 2 is attached to the first side of the carrier element 4 so that the cable outlet housing 2 encloses the cable drum 3 and holds it on the carrier element 4. The drive housing 7 on the other hand is attached to the other, second side of the carrier element 4 in such a way that the motor pot 73 comes to lie in a recess 44 in the surface portion 40 and the worm housing 74 comes to lie in an adjoining recess 440 in the surface portion 40. During assembly, the internal gear 31 formed on the output element in the form of the cable drum 3 is operatively connected to the connecting gear 61 of the drive gear 6 so that the cable drum 3 is non-rotatably connected to the drive gear 6 and thus in operation a rotary movement of the drive gear 6 is transmitted to the cable drum 3. The cable drum 3 with the internal gear 31 here engages into the opening 41 of the carrier element 4 so that the internal gear 31 reaches through the carrier element 4 in order to produce an operative connection between the output element in the form of the cable drum 3 on the first side of the carrier element 4 associated to a wet space of the vehicle door and the drive gear 6 on the second side of the carrier element 4 associated to the dry space.

(37) As is shown in a first exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 3 to 9, the drive housing 7 is connected to a gear cover 5 which at least sectionally delimits an interior space of the housing pot 70, in which the drive gear 6 is rotatably accommodated, and extends circumferentially about the axis of rotation D on the housing pot 70. The gear cover 5 may provide a moisture-tight transition to the drive gear 6 so that moisture cannot get from the area of the wet space of the vehicle door via the drive gear 6 into the area of the motor unit 8 and the electronics enclosed in the electronics housing 76.

(38) The gear cover 5 has a cover body 50 which is connected, such as welded to a circumferential wall portion of the motor pot 70 via a first, annular edge portion 502 circumferentially extending about the axis of rotation D. A second edge portion 500 protrudes radially inwards from this first edge portion 502, which likewise annularly extends about the axis of rotation D and is connected to the first edge portion 502 via an axial connecting portion 501.

(39) On the second edge portion 500 a sealing element 51 is arranged, which with sealing lips 510 protruding radially inwards (see in particular FIG. 7) is in sealing contact with a collar 63 of the drive gear 6 axially protruding from the rotational body 60 of the drive gear 6 and thus seals a transition to the drive gear 6 in a moisture-tight way also when the drive gear 6 is rotated about the axis of rotation D.

(40) In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 3 to 9, the second edge portion 500 of the gear cover 5 extends annularly along a plane E1 which is directed perpendicularly to the axis of rotation D and thus is aligned parallel to the drive gear 6, as this is shown in FIG. 8. The first edge portion 502 on the other hand extends annularly along a plane E2 which is positioned obliquely relative to the axis of rotation D, which results in the fact that the height H1, H2 of the first edge portion 502 relative to the second edge portion 500 varies circumferentially about the axis of rotation D, measured axially along the axis of rotation D.

(41) As an example, the height H1, H2 between the first edge portion 502 and the second edge portion 500 in an area of the gear cover 5 facing away from the worm housing 74 is smaller than in the area of the gear cover 5, in which the gear cover 5 is connected to the worm housing 74 (height H2 in FIG. 8). This allows to provide a material thickening 741 in the area of the worm housing 74, which allows to produce a welding connection, such as by means of laser welding or ultrasonic welding, also in the area of the worm housing 74.

(42) In such an area in which the connection of the gear cover 5 with the drive housing 7 requires a comparatively large axial installation space, namely in the area of the worm housing 74, the gear cover 5 thus has a comparatively large axial height H2 (see FIG. 8). In other areas, in which such an axial height H2 is not required and the gear cover 5 correspondingly can be formed with a smaller axial height H1 (see FIG. 8), the axial installation space of the gear cover 5 is reduced by comparison, which allows to reduce the axial installation space of the drive housing 7 as a whole.

(43) As is shown in FIG. 17, this also allows to provide more space on the side of the carrier element 4 facing away from the drive housing 7 in an area A in which a power transmission means in the form of a traction cable 10 extends from the cable drum 3, so that the installation space for the traction cable 10 is not cramped. In the area A, the axial installation space on the side of the carrier element 4 facing away from the drive housing 7 is increased due to the reduced axial height H1 of the gear cover 5 in this area and as a result of the drive housing 7. In an area B, on the other hand, the axial installation space on the side of the carrier element 4 facing away from the drive housing 7 is smaller due to the reduced axial height H2 of the gear cover 5 in this area and as a result of the drive housing 7. Because in operation the traction cable 10 axially moves on the cable drum 3 due to being wound up and unwound, the installation space can thus be increased for a movement of the traction cable 10 on the cable drum 3.

(44) In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the gear cover 5 is produced by means of two-component plastic injection molding so that the sealing element 51 is formed integrally with the cover body 50 by means of injection molding. The sealing element 51 with its sealing lips 510 protrudes radially inwards from the second, radially inner edge portion 500 of the gear cover 5 annular in its basic shape.

(45) Alternatively, the sealing element 51 can also be formed as an element separate from the cover body 50 of the gear cover 5 and for example be positively connected to the cover body 50.

(46) At the first, upper edge portion 502 of the cover body 50 the gear cover 5 has a alignment member 52 in the form of radial protrusions which, when the gear cover 5 is connected to the drive housing 7, is in engagement with a form-fit element 700 on the outside of the housing pot 70, as is shown in particular in FIGS. 3 and 4. Via this alignment member 52 in cooperation with the form-fit element 700 it is effected that the gear cover 5 can be properly attached to the drive housing 7 only in exactly one position, which facilitates the assembly of the drive housing 7 and the drive device 1.

(47) In an exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the sealing element 51 is formed as an element separate from the cover body 50 of the gear cover 5 and in this case attached as an O-ring to a chamfered portion 505 axially protruding from the second edge portion 500. The sealing element 51 in turn is in contact with the collar 63 axially protruding from the rotational body 60 of the drive gear 6 and thus creates a moisture-tight transition to the drive gear 6.

(48) Otherwise, the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11 is functionally identical with the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 3 to 9, so that reference also is made to the preceding explanations.

(49) In an exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 12 to 16, the first edge portion 502 of the cover body 50 of the gear cover 5 includes different sections 503, 504 which each extend parallel to the radially inner, second edge portion 500 and thus are directed parallel to the drive gear 6. The different sections 503, 504 here are located, as shown in particular in FIGS. 14 and 15, at different heights H1, H2, wherein an axially higher section 504 of the first edge portion 502 is associated to the worm housing 74 and is connected to the worm housing 74. The gear cover 5 thus is axially raised only where an elevation is required due to the connection to the worm housing 74. In other areas, the first edge portion 502 has a reduced axial height H1 and extends parallel to the drive gear 6 and parallel to the radially inner, second edge portion 500 and thus directed perpendicularly to the axis of rotation D.

(50) In the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 12 to 16, two sealing elements 51, 51′ are arranged on the gear cover 5. A first sealing element 51 here serves for sealing against the drive gear 6 and is connected to the radially inner, second edge portion 500 in such a way that the sealing element 51 axially protrudes from the radially inner, second edge portion 500 in the direction of the drive gear 6, as this is shown in particular in the sectional view of FIG. 16. Via this sealing element 51, a transition to the drive gear 6 thus is sealed in a moisture-tight way.

(51) A second sealing element 51′ on the other hand serves for the moisture-tight sealing between the gear cover 5 and the carrier element 4 to which the drive housing 7 is attached, as this is shown in FIG. 16. The sealing element 51′ is arranged on the radially inner edge portion 500 and—on a side facing away from the drive gear 6—points from the inner edge portion 500 towards the carrier element 4.

(52) Both sealing elements 51, 51′ for example are integrally molded to the gear cover 5 by means of two-component plastic injection molding, but can also be attached to the gear cover 5 as separately fabricated elements. Both sealing elements 51, 51′ may be fabricated from a soft material, such as an elastomeric plastic.

(53) In all exemplary embodiments of the gear cover 5, as described above with reference to FIGS. 3 to 17, the mode of operation of the drive device 1 can be identical in principle, so that with regard to the mode of operation of the drive device 1 reference is made to the explanations on FIGS. 1A, 1B and 2.

(54) The idea underlying the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above.

(55) The described drive device is not limited to the use in window lifter devices. The invention can be used in entirely different embodiments with entirely different drives for adjusting a vehicle part, for example a sliding roof or also a seat part or the like.

(56) The following is a list of reference numbers shown in the Figures. However, it should be understood that the use of these terms is for illustrative purposes only with respect to one embodiment. And, use of reference numbers correlating a certain term that is both illustrated in the Figures and present in the claims is not intended to limit the claims to only cover the illustrated embodiment.

(57) TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numerals 1 drive device 10 power transmission element (traction cable) 11 guide rail 110, 111 deflection 12 carrier 13 window pane 2 cable outlet housing 20 bottom 21 housing portion 22 bearing element (bearing mandrel) 221 opening 3 output element (cable drum) 30 body 300 cable groove 31 internal gear 310 toothing 4 carrier element (assembly carrier) 40 surface portion 41 opening 44 recess 440 recess 5 gear cover 50 cover body 500 inner edge portion 501 raised portion 502 outer edge portion 503, 504 section 505 chamfered portion  51, 51′ sealing element 510 sealing lips 52 alignment member 6 drive gear 60 rotational body 600 external toothing 61 connecting gear 610 toothing 62 opening 63 collar 7 drive housing 70 housing pot 700 form-fit element 72 bearing element (bearing dome) 720 opening 721 engagement opening 73 motor pot 74 worm housing 741 material thickening 75 housing cover 76 electronics housing 760 circuit board 761 housing plate 762 connector 8 motor unit 80 electric motor 800 drive shaft 81 drive worm 9 fastening element A, B point D axis of rotation E1, E2 plane H1, H2 height

(58) While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.