PERIPHERAL FUNCTIONAL ASSEMBLY FOR MOTOR VEHICLES

Abstract

The peripheral functional assembly comprises a base bracket to be fixedly attached to a motor vehicle and an electric actuator assembly pivotally mounted to the base bracket. The electric actuator assembly comprises driving means for pivoting to the base bracket. The electric actuator assembly also comprises a cover assembly enclosing the driving means immediately adjacent the driving means. The cover assembly is also configured for supporting a functional element such as an electrical device.

Claims

1. A peripheral functional assembly for motor vehicles, the peripheral functional assembly comprising: a base bracket to be fixedly attached to a motor vehicle; and an electric actuator assembly pivotally mounted to the base bracket, the electric actuator assembly comprising: driving means for pivoting to the base bracket and a cover assembly; wherein the cover assembly is arranged enclosing the driving means immediately adjacent said driving means, and wherein the cover assembly is also configured for supporting a functional element.

2. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 1, wherein the cover assembly comprises at least a first cover and a second cover.

3. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 1, wherein the cover assembly has an extension where the functional element is supported.

4. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 3, wherein the extension is integrally formed with at least one of the first cover or the second cover.

5. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 3, wherein the extension is removably formed with at least one of the first cover or the second cover.

6. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 2, wherein the first cover is at least thirty percent longer than the second cover.

7. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first cover or the second cover is counter-shaped to at least one portion of the driving means.

8. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 1, wherein the base bracket includes a shaft having at least one hollow end and the cover assembly has a downward projection surrounding the shaft externally or arranged internally thereto.

9. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 8, wherein the downward projection is arranged overlapping the shaft.

10. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 8, further comprising: a plug for covering the hollow end of the base bracket shaft or the downward projection arranged internally to the base bracket shaft.

11. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 10, wherein the plug has a fastener for fixing cables passing over the base bracket shaft.

12. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 8, wherein the base bracket shaft is divided into at least two sections.

13. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 8, wherein the shaft is made integral with the base bracket.

14. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 1, further comprising: a series of ramps formed in an upper surface of the base bracket which in use interact with a series of ramps formed in a lower surface of the cover assembly.

15. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first cover or the second cover is stiffer than the other cover.

16. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 2, wherein the cover assembly has an extension where the functional element is supported.

17. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 5, wherein the first cover is at least thirty percent longer than the second cover.

18. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first cover or the second cover is counter-shaped to at least one portion of the driving means.

19. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 7, wherein the base bracket includes a shaft having at least one hollow end and the cover assembly has a downward projection surrounding the shaft externally or arranged internally thereto.

20. The peripheral functional assembly of claim 9, further comprising: a plug for covering the hollow end of the base bracket shaft or the downward projection arranged internally to the base bracket shaft.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0080] Particular examples of a peripheral functional assembly for motor vehicles will be described in the following by way of non-limiting examples, with reference to the appended drawings.

[0081] In the drawings:

[0082] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first example of the present peripheral functional assembly for motor vehicles with a shaft formed with two sections;

[0083] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the housing bracket of the peripheral functional assembly shown in FIG. 1;

[0084] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the electric actuator assembly of the peripheral functional assembly in FIGS. 1 and 2 shown without the first cover;

[0085] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the second cover of the electric actuator assembly in FIG. 3 shown from the bottom;

[0086] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the base bracket with the first example of the shaft formed with two sections;

[0087] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the base bracket with a second example of the shaft formed with a single section;

[0088] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the present peripheral functional assembly using the first example, with both sections of the shaft attached through a screw; and

[0089] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the present peripheral functional assembly of the second example.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0090] Examples of a peripheral functional assembly 100 will be described in the following according to the FIGS. 1-8 of the drawings.

[0091] The peripheral functional assembly 100 that is described herein comprises a base bracket 110. The base bracket 110 is fixedly attached to a motor vehicle, not shown.

[0092] The peripheral functional assembly 100 further comprises an electric actuator assembly 120 that is pivotally mounted to the base bracket 110 through a shaft 115 that is fixedly attached to the base bracket 110. The electric actuator assembly 120 comprises driving means 130 for causing the actuator assembly 120 itself to pivot relative to the base bracket 110 around said shaft 115.

[0093] The driving means 130 are enclosed within a cover assembly 140. The cover assembly 140 is arranged immediately adjacent the driving means 130, that is, adjoining at least one of a motor 135 or a transmission 136 of the driving means 130.

[0094] The actuator assembly 120 can be moved along an axis z as shown in FIG. 1 through ramps 118, 119 which will be described further below in connection with FIGS. 4, 7, 8 of the drawings. Such movement of the actuator assembly 120 along an axis z is controlled by a spring 138 and is locked by a lock washer 137 shown in FIG. 1. The actuator assembly 120 can be also rotated around the above mentioned shaft 115 which will be also described further below.

[0095] The cover assembly 140, in addition of performing the function of housing, receiving, and enclosing the driving means 130 including the motor 135 and the transmission 136, it is also configured for supporting a functional element 200.

[0096] The functional element 200 may be, for example, a mirror, an electrical device, such as a video camera, a photo camera, a light, a blinker, a radar, a LIDAR, etc, and in general any element intended for performing a specific function. The cover assembly 140 thus integrates the electric actuator assembly 120 therein, and also the functional element 200. In the example shown, the functional element 200 is supported on the cover assembly 140.

[0097] As shown in the figures, the cover assembly 140 comprises a first cover, or upper cover, also referred herein to as housing bracket 150, and a second cover or lower cover 160. In this non-limiting example, the housing bracket 150 is intended to receive the functional element 200 supported therewith. For this purpose, the housing bracket 150 is stiffer than the lower cover 160. Examples of ways for stiffening the housing bracket 150 may be providing stiffening elements such as ribs, ridges, and others; increasing the thickness of the housing bracket 150 with respect to the lower cover, or selecting stiffer materials such as a metal, for example aluminium, magnesium or zinc diecasting alloys (e.g., base metal zinc and alloying elements of aluminum, magnesium, and copper), or a reinforced plastic material. The spring 138 is arranged to bias the lower cover 160 to the base bracket 110.

[0098] The housing bracket 150 of the cover assembly has an extension 155 formed integrally therewith in the example shown. One free end of the extension 155 of the housing bracket 150 is adapted to support the functional element 200. The resulting configuration is such that the housing bracket 150 protrudes from the lower cover 160 away from the vehicle in a driving position, in a direction “y” depicted in FIG. 1, transversely to a direction of travel, opposite to direction “x” depicted in FIG. 1. Thus, the housing bracket 150 is at least thirty percent (30%) longer than the lower cover 160, as illustrated in the figures of the drawings.

[0099] The housing bracket 150 is counter-shaped to the driving means 130 for example counter-shaped to at least one of the motor 135 or the transmission 136.

[0100] As described above, a shaft 115 is associated with base bracket 110. In a first example shown in FIGS. 1, 5 and 7 the shaft 115 is divided into a first shaft section 115a and a second shaft section 115b, wherein the first shaft section 115a is the part attached to the base bracket 110, in the example integral to the base bracket 110. In second example shown in FIGS. 6 and 8, the shaft 115 has a single shaft section, in the example the single shaft section is made integral with the base bracket 110.

[0101] The first shaft section 115a is attached to the base bracket 110. The first shaft section 115a is also attached to the second shaft section 115b that in use is inserted into a cavity 116b formed therein. The second shaft section 115b has a recess 116a that is formed in a distal end thereof. The recess 116a is intended for receiving therein a plug 170, which will be described further below.

[0102] The base bracket 110 has a projection 156 arranged surrounding the shaft 115 externally or being arranged internally thereto. In the example, the projection 156 is arranged internally in the recess 116a. This projection 156 helps in guiding the electric actuator assembly 120 as it is displaced axially along the shaft 115 according to axis “z,” shown in FIG. 1.

[0103] As stated above plug 170 is provided for covering said cavity 116a that is formed in a hollow end 116 of the shaft 115 fixedly attached to the base bracket 110 in order to protect the assembly 100 from dust and moisture. The plug 170 may also be placed within the projection 156 when the projection 156 arranged internally the recess 116a of the shaft 115. The plug 170 is provided with a fastener 180 for fixing cables over a central part of the shaft 115. This avoids cables to be stretched or shrunk as the electric actuator assembly 120 is pivoted to the base bracket 110 during operation.

[0104] The base bracket 110 has an upper surface 117 with a series of ramps 118 formed thereon. The ramps 118 are arranged such that, in use, interact with a series of ramps 119 formed in a lower surface of the cover assembly 140 as shown in FIGS. 4, 7, 8 of the drawings and/or with other series or ramps formed in the driving means 130.

[0105] In the first example, when the shaft 115 is divided in two sections 115a, 115b, the first shaft section 115a is made integral with the base bracket 110 and the second shaft section 115b is attached to the first shaft section 115a through a screw 112. The first shaft section 115a is inserted into the second shaft section 115b. This results in a stiffer shaft 115.

[0106] A top cover cap 190 and a bottom cover cap 195 are provided for receiving therein the peripheral functional assembly 100 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0107] Although only a number of particular embodiments and examples of the present winglet assembly for motor vehicles have been disclosed herein, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that other alternative examples and/or uses and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof are possible. The present disclosure covers all possible combinations of the particular examples described.

[0108] The use of terms “first”, “second”, and so on, for indicating different parts does not involve any order and does not necessarily exclude other further parts. Reference signs related to drawings and placed in parentheses in a claim, are solely for attempting to increase the intelligibility of the claim, and shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the claim.

[0109] The scope of the present disclosure should not be limited by particular examples, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow.