ELECTROMAGNETIC ACTUATING DEVICE PARTICULARLY FOR OPENING AND CLOSING A VALVE DEVICE, VALVE DEVICE HAVING AN ACTUATING DEVICE OF THIS KIND, CONTROLLABLE VIBRATION DAMPER COMPRISING AN ACTUATING DEVICE OF THIS KIND AND MOTOR VEHICLE HAVING A VIBRATION DAMPER OF THIS KIND

Abstract

A gear ring carrier part for a two- or multi-component gear is provided, the gear ring carrier part having a circular ring section rotating in the circumferential direction about an axis of rotation, a gear ring arranged radially on the outside of the circular ring section, and an extension extending radially inward from the circular ring section. The extension having a first extension face and a second extension face, a number of first ribs and an equal number of first pockets being arranged on the first extension face, and/or a number of second ribs and an equal number of second pockets being arranged on the second extension face, the first ribs and the first pockets and/or the second ribs and the second pockets each extending radially and being arranged adjacent to one another in the circumferential direction.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic actuating device, in particular for opening and closing a valve device (560), comprising a coil unit (562) that can be supplied with a current, with which, when current is supplied, an armature (564) mounted movably along a longitudinal axis (L) of the actuating device (12) can be moved between a retracted position and an extended position, a ram (566), which interacts with the armature (564) and is movably mounted along the longitudinal axis (L) and has a first end (598), where the ram (566) interacts with a closure element (574) for opening and closing the valve device (560), and a second end (600), wherein the ram (566) is arranged so that it projects with the first end (598) into a first chamber (586), in which a pressure medium is under a first pressure (p1), and projects with the second end (600) into a second chamber (588), in which the pressure medium is under a second pressure (p2).

2. The electromagnetic actuating device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ram (566) has a channel (572) with a first opening (602) and a second opening (604) and the pressure medium can flow through the channel (572).

3. The electromagnetic actuating device according to claim 2, characterized in that the first opening (602) is arranged in the first chamber (586) and the second opening (604) is arranged in the second chamber (588), so that fluid communication between the first chamber (586) and the second chamber (588) is provided.

4. The electromagnetic actuating device according to claim 3, characterized in that the first opening (602) interacts fluidically with a first diaphragm (472) and/or the second opening (604) interacts fluidically with a second diaphragm (470).

5. The electromagnetic actuating device according to claim 4, characterized in that the ram (566) is cylindrical and has a first diameter (d1), the closure element (574) has a second diameter (d2), which differs from the first diameter (d1), and the size of the first diaphragm (472) and/or the second diaphragm (470) are adapted to the first diameter (d1) and to the second diameter (d2).

6. A valve device (560), comprising a first chamber (586), in which a valve seat (594) and a closure element (574) are arranged, wherein the valve seat (594) can be closed with the closure element (574), a second chamber (588), and an electromagnetic actuating device (12) according to claim 1, with a ram (566) mounted movably along the longitudinal axis (L), with a first end (598), with which the ram (566) interacts with the closure element (574) to open and close the valve seat (594), and a second end (600), wherein the ram (566) is arranged so that it projects with the first end (598) into the first chamber (586), in which a pressure medium is under a first pressure (p1), and projects with the second end (600) into a second chamber (588), in which the pressure medium is under a second pressure (p2).

7. An adjustable vibration damper, especially for motor vehicles, with a working cylinder (20), a piston (30), which can be moved back and forth in the working cylinder (20) and divides the working cylinder (20) into a first work space (40) and a second work space (50), wherein the first work space (40) and the second work space (50) are each connected via a pressure medium line (52, 54) to a valve device (560) according to claim 6, for controlling the vibration damper (10).

8. A motor vehicle (610) with a controllable vibration damper (10) according to claim 7.

Description

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a controllable vibration damper 10 based on a circuit diagram of a hydraulic system. The vibration damper 10, which is for example mounted on the wheel suspension of a wheel of a motor vehicle in order to adjust the damping of the wheel suspension and thus the damping of the vehicle when driving, has a damper tube, which is referred to below as the working cylinder 20. In this working cylinder 20 a piston 30, which is attached to a piston rod 32, can be moved back and forth. The piston 30 is coupled to the wheel suspension of the motor vehicle. The reciprocating movement of the piston 30 is marked by a movement arrow 34 in FIG. 1. As can be seen, the piston 30 can move back and forth in the working cylinder 20, namely firstly upwards and another time downwards. In the following, an upwardly moving piston 30 is referred to as pulling, whilst a downwardly moving piston 30 is referred to as pushing. Accordingly, above the piston 30 there is a first work space 40, which is referred to as the “pulling chamber”, and below the piston 30 a second work space 50, which is referred to as the “pressure chamber”.

[0026] The first work space 40 (pulling chamber) and the second work space 50 (pressure chamber) are connected to a hydraulic system 100, in which a pressure medium is conducted, which should be a hydraulic fluid such as oil. In principle, however, the hydraulic system can also be designed as a pneumatic system and compressed air can be used as the pressure medium. For reasons of simpler representation, the hydraulic system 100 is shown in as being arranged outside the working cylinder 20 in FIG. 1. However, this is only chosen for reasons of presentation. In fact, the entire hydraulic system 100 sits inside the cup-shaped piston 30 of the vibration damper.

[0027] The hydraulic system comprises a first pressure medium line 52, which is connected to the first work space 40, and a second pressure medium line 54, which is connected to the second work space 50. For this purpose, the piston 30 has bores 36, shown only schematically in FIG. 1, via which the installation space 35 within the piston 30 is hydraulically connected to the first work space 40 (pulling chamber). In addition, the first work space 40 (pulling chamber) and the second work space 50 (pressure chamber) are sealed by a radial seal 38 running around the outer circumference of the piston 30. The front end of the piston 30 is therefore hydraulically connected to the second work space 50 (pressure chamber) via a suitable opening.

[0028] The hydraulic system 100 connected to the two pressure medium lines 52, 54 has a bridge circuit with four non-return valves 110, 112, 114, 116. These non-return valves 110, 112, 114, 116 are connected crosswise in the forward direction, wherein the connection of a first bridge branch to the two oppositely connected non-return valves 110, 114 forms a high-pressure chamber 120 and the connection of the second bridge branch to the two further opposing non-return valves 112, 116 leads to a low-pressure chamber 122. As FIG. 1 clearly shows, the first non-return valve 110 and the fourth non-return valve 116 are connected to the lower pressure medium line 54 and are therefore connected to the second work space 50 (pressure chamber). The first non-return valve 110 is connected in the forward direction to the second work space 50 (pressure chamber). The fourth non-return valve 116, on the other hand, is connected in the reverse direction to the second work space 50. The second non-return valve 112 and the third non-return valve 114, however, are connected to the upper pressure medium line 52. The second non-return valve 112 is connected in the reverse direction to the first work space 40 (pulling chamber) here, and the third non-return valve 114 is connected in the forward direction.

[0029] As the illustration in FIG. 1 further shows, the main diaphragms 111, 113, 115, and 117 are in series with the four non-return valves 110, 112, 114, and 116 respectively. The first main diaphragm 111 is located between the first non-return valve 110 and the high-pressure chamber 120. The second main diaphragm 113 is located between the first pressure medium line 52 and the second non-return valve 112. The third main diaphragm 115 is located between the high-pressure chamber 120 and the third non-return valve 114. Finally, the fourth main diaphragm 117 is located between the second pressure medium line 54 and the fourth non-return valve 116. The four non-return valves 110, 112, 114, and 116 of the bridge circuit are preferably provided with adjustable spring elements 124. In this way, the opening behavior of the in dividual non-return valves 110, 112, 114, and 116 can be selected to be preset, depending on how the spring force of the adjustable spring elements 124 is designed.

[0030] The hydraulic system 100 also has a main slide 140, an electromagnetic valve device 560 according to the invention and a pilot chamber 130, also referred to as a pilot pressure chamber. The valve device 560 is shown in more detail in FIGS. 2 and 3 and comprises an electromagnetic actuating device 12 with an electromagnet.

[0031] The pilot chamber 130 is connected to the first pressure medium line 52 via a fifth non-return valve 132. This fifth non-return valve 132 is, like the third non-return valve 114, located in the forward direction to the first work space 40 (pulling chamber). The pilot chamber 130 is hydraulically connected to the high-pressure chamber 120 via a fifth main diaphragm 170. A sixth main diaphragm 172 is connected between the fifth non-return valve 132 and the pilot chamber 130.

[0032] The valve device 560 is connected between the low-pressure chamber 122 and the pilot chamber 130 and is designed as a 3/3 valve, which works proportionally. The low-pressure chamber 122 is connected to the valve device 560 via two connecting lines 150, 152. While the first connecting line 150 has no further hydraulic elements, a non-return valve 464 and a sixth main diaphragm 466 are connected in parallel in the second connecting line 152, starting from the valve device 560. A seventh main diaphragm 468 is connected in series with the non-return valve 464 and the sixth main diaphragm 466.

[0033] Another supply line 154 is located between the valve device 560 and the pilot chamber 130. As in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the valve device 560 works against a spring device 161 and against a pressure coming from the pilot chamber 130, which pressure is directed, via a control line 182 branching off from the supply line 154 and working parallel to the spring force of the spring device 161, against the actuating device 12. The main diaphragms 466, 468 and the non-return valve 464 have the purpose of setting a medium damper characteristic on the vibration damper 10 in the event of a power failure (failsafe).

[0034] The main slide 140 is designed as a 2/2 valve, but is an exclusively hydraulic valve. The main slide 140 connects the low-pressure chamber 122 to the high-pressure chamber 120. The main slide 140 works first against a spring device 142 and secondly against a pressure of the pilot chamber 130 arriving via the control line 144. On the other hand, the main slide 140 is influenced on its opposite side by a control line 146 coming from the high-pressure chamber 120.

[0035] For the sake of completeness, it should also be mentioned that the controllable vibration damper 10 shown in FIG. 1 additionally has a bottom valve 190 in the base of the working cylinder 20. This bottom valve 190 is known in itself in vibration dampers and is connected between the lower pressure medium line 54 and a tank 199. For this purpose, the bottom valve 190 for example has a first tank diaphragm 191 between the lower pressure medium line 54 and the tank 199, which diaphragm is connected to the lower pressure medium line 54. On the side facing away from the pressure medium line 54, two anti-parallel connected non-return valves 192, 193 are placed on the first tank diaphragm 191, with a second tank diaphragm 194 additionally being connected in parallel.

[0036] Finally, a so-called blow-off valve 200, which is also known in itself, is connected between the two pressure medium lines 52, 54. This blow-off valve 200 is used to set a maximum achievable damping force on the vibration damper 10. For this purpose the blow-off valve 200 for example consists of two anti-parallel connected non-return valves 201, 202, as shown, each of which is preceded by a blow-off diaphragm 203, 204.

[0037] The operation of the controllable vibration damper of FIG. 1 is as follows.

[0038] It is initially assumed that the piston 30 moves upwards and thus the first work space 40 (pulling chamber) is reduced. This mode of operation is referred to below as pulling operation. As a result, the pressure in the first work space 40 (pulling chamber) increases as the piston 30 continues to move. The pressure in the pressure medium line 52 increases. The second non-return valve 112 is in the reverse direction, so that this pressure cannot reach the low-pressure chamber 122. However, the third non-return valve 114 is connected in the forward direction, so that, when the spring force of the adjustable spring element 124 of the non-return valve 114 is overcome, the non-return valve 114 opens and the pressure of the pressure medium line 52 is present in the high-pressure chamber 120. In addition, the fifth non-return valve 132 is located in the forward direction with respect to the pilot chamber 130. Due to the connection between the high-pressure chamber 120 and the pilot chamber 130, a pressure determined via the main diaphragms 170, 172 is established in the pilot chamber 130, wherein the pressure coming from the low-pressure chamber 122 via the valve device 560 is present in the pilot chamber 130 as counter pressure. The valve device 560 can be controlled with suitable energization, so that the pressure ultimately established in the pilot chamber 130 is set on the basis of the energization of the valve device 560. This pressure acting in the pilot chamber 130 is fed to the main slide 140 via the control line 144, so that the pressure in the pilot chamber 130 also influences the position of the main slide 140. In this way, the damper characteristics of the vibration damper can be adjusted when the piston 30 is subjected to tensile load by correspondingly energizing the valve device 560.

[0039] If the opposite movement of the piston 30 is now considered, that is to say in the downward direction (pushing operation), the pressure in the second pressure medium line 54 increases. In this case, the fourth non-return valve 116 is in its reverse position and the first non-return valve 110 is in the forward direction with respect to the high-pressure chamber 120. In this case, the high-pressure chamber 120 is in communication with the pilot chamber 130 via the fifth main diaphragm 170, and a similar mechanism of action is established as above for the pressure load.

[0040] In FIG. 2, a first exemplary embodiment of the valve device 560 according to the invention is shown in greater detail on the basis of a basic and partial illustration.

[0041] The valve device 560 comprises a housing 582, which encloses a cavity 584. This cavity 584 is divided into a first chamber 586 and a second chamber 588. The first chamber 586 has an inlet 590 and an outlet 592, so that a pressure medium, not shown, such as air or a hydraulic fluid can flow through the first chamber 586. In the example shown, the inlet 590 is connected to the high-pressure chamber 120 (cf. FIG. 1). The first chamber 586 is formed by the already mentioned low-pressure chamber 122.

[0042] The flow of the pressure medium between the inlet 590 and the outlet 592 represents a main volume flow Q through the valve device 560. In the first chamber 586 there is a valve seat 594, which can be closed and opened with a closure element 574. In the open state, the pressure medium can flow into a third chamber 596, which is arranged in the already mentioned main slide 140, with which the inlet 590 can be opened and closed. The third chamber 596 is formed by the pilot chamber 130 also already mentioned.

[0043] The control line 144 is formed between the valve seat 594 and the third chamber 596, and the fifth main diaphragm 170 is arranged between the third chamber 596 and the inlet 590 and has a throttling effect on the pressure medium flowing through it.

[0044] The actuating device 12 comprises a coil unit 562 that can be supplied with a current, with which an armature 564 can be moved along a longitudinal axis L of the actuating device 12. A ram 566, sometimes also referred to as a shaft, is firmly con nected to the armature 564, so that the ram 566 executes the same movements as the armature 564. So that the armature 564 and the ram 566 can move along the longitudinal axis L, a first bearing 568 and a second bearing 570 are provided, which can for example be designed as sliding bearings.

[0045] The ram 566 has a first end 598 and a second end 600. The ram 566 is arranged such that its first end 598 facing the closure element 574 is located in the first chamber 586 or in the low-pressure chamber 122, while its second end 600 facing away from the closure element 574 is arranged in the second chamber 588, which is formed by a magnet chamber 576 in the example shown. The magnet chamber 576 is connected via a passage opening 578 to a coil space 580 surrounding the coil unit 562, so that the same pressure prevails in the coil space 580 and in the magnet chamber 576.

[0046] In order to be able to establish a fluid connection between the first chamber 586 and the second chamber 588, the ram 566 has a channel 572 with a first opening 602 and a second opening 604. The first opening 602 is arranged in the first chamber 586 and the second opening 604 is arranged in the second chamber 588. The plane defined by the first opening 602 runs parallel to the longitudinal axis L, while the plane defined by the second opening 604 runs perpendicular to the longitudinal axis L.

[0047] The channel 572 interacts fluidically with a first diaphragm 472 via the first opening 602, and fluidically interacts with a second diaphragm 470 via the second opening 604. As can be seen from FIG. 1, the first diaphragm 472 is arranged in a first control line 184 and the second diaphragm 470 is arranged in a second control line 186.

[0048] The ram 566 interacts with the closure element 574, which is part of the main slide 140. The connection between the pilot chamber 130 and the low-pressure chamber 122 can be opened and closed with the closure element 574. In the example shown the closure element 574 is of a spherical design.

[0049] The ram 566 has a diameter dl and the spherical closure element 574 has a diameter d2. The diameter dl can for example be 3 or 4 mm and the diameter d2 2.3 mm In any case, the diameter d1 is larger than the diameter d2. In addition, the diameter of the first diaphragm 472 is greater than the diameter of the second diaphragm 470.

[0050] Regardless of whether the vibration damper 10 is in pushing or pulling operation, a main volume flow Q from the pressure chamber 120 through the low-pressure chamber 122 is established if the main slide 140 is open. From the low-pressure chamber 122, the pressure medium flows on to the first work space 40 in pushing operation and to the second work space 50 in pulling operation (cf. FIGS. 2 and 3).

[0051] As a result, different pressures act on the ram 566, namely pressure pNK of the low-pressure chamber 122, which corresponds to a first pressure p1, and a second pressure p2 of the magnet chamber 576.

[0052] As already explained, the diameter of the first diaphragm 472 is greater than the diameter of the second diaphragm 470. In the pushing operation shown in FIG. 2, the pressure medium also flows from the low-pressure chamber 122 through the con trol line 186 and the first diaphragm 472 into the channel 572, and then into the magnet chamber 576 and from there through the control line 184 and the second diaphragm 470 into the first work space 40.

[0053] In the pulling operation shown in FIG. 3, the pressure medium flows from the first work space 40 through the control line 184 and the second diaphragm 470 into the magnet chamber 576, and from there through the channel 572 and through the control line 186 and the first diaphragm 472 into the low-pressure chamber 122. From there, the pressure medium flows into the second work space 50 as described for the main volume flow Q.

[0054] During pushing operation, closing forces acting on the ram 560 result, since the dynamic pressure in the magnet chamber 576 increases due to the fact that the diaphragm 472 has a larger diameter than the diaphragm 470. As a result, the opening force acting on the annular surface of the ram 566 facing the closing element 574 is more than compensated, and the ram 566 opens in a more controlled manner over the main volume flow Q due to the slight hydraulic tensioning. The magnetic force to be applied by the coil unit 562 can therefore be smaller, which improves the energy efficiency of the controlled vibration damper 10.

[0055] During pulling operation, the flow through channel 572 is in the opposite direction. Here, too, closing forces acting on the ram 566 result, since the pressure pHK of the high-pressure chamber 120 would also be present in the magnet chamber 576 and would therefore be equal to the second pressure p2 if the pressure medium did not have to flow through the first diaphragm 472. Without the first diaphragm 472, the closing force would be very great and there would be the risk that the actuating device 12 would not open at all. By suitably selecting the size of the first diaphragm 472, the second pressure p2 can be set such that the closing force has the desired value.

[0056] As the main volume flow Q increases, both the first pressure p1 in the first chamber 586 and the low-pressure chamber 122 and the second pressure p2 in the magnet chamber 576 increase, as a result of which the actuating device 12 automatically stabilizes.

[0057] FIG. 4 shows a basic illustration of a motor vehicle 610 with a hydraulic system of a second exemplary embodiment of a vibration damper 10. The valve device 560 is designed as a 2/2 valve. Otherwise, the valve device 560 is constructed exactly as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0058] A control line 606, in which the second diaphragm 470 is arranged, branches off from the first pressure medium line 52 connected to the first work space 40. The control line 606 opens into the second chamber 588, which is not explicitly shown in FIG. 4 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). Furthermore, a further control line 608 is provided, which starts from the second pressure medium line 54 and opens into the first chamber 586 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The first diaphragm 472 is arranged in the control line 608.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0059] 10 Adjustable vibration damper [0060] 12 Electromagnetic actuating device [0061] 20 Working cylinder [0062] 30 Piston [0063] 32 Piston rod [0064] 34 Movement arrow [0065] 35 Installation space [0066] 36 Bores [0067] 38 Seal [0068] 40 First work space (pulling chamber) [0069] 50 Second work space (pressure chamber) [0070] 52 Pressure medium line [0071] 54 Pressure medium line [0072] 100 Hydraulic system [0073] 110 First non-return valve [0074] 111 First main diaphragm [0075] 112 Second non-return valve [0076] 113 Second main diaphragm [0077] 114 Third non-return valve [0078] 115 Third main diaphragm [0079] 116 Fourth non-return valve [0080] 117 Fourth main diaphragm [0081] 120 High-pressure chamber [0082] 122 Low-pressure chamber [0083] 124 Adjustable spring element [0084] 130 Pilot chamber [0085] 132 Fifth non-return valve [0086] 140 Main slide [0087] 142 Spring device [0088] 144 Control line [0089] 146 Control line [0090] 150 First connecting line [0091] 152 Second connecting line [0092] 154 Supply line [0093] 161 Spring device [0094] 170 Fifth main diaphragm [0095] 172 Sixth main diaphragm [0096] 182 Control line [0097] 184 First control line [0098] 186 Second control line [0099] 190 Bottom valve [0100] 191 First tank diaphragm [0101] 192 Non-return valve [0102] 193 Non-return valve [0103] 194 Second tank diaphragm [0104] 199 Tank [0105] 200 Blow-off valve [0106] 201 Non-return valve [0107] 202 Non-return valve [0108] 203 Blow-off diaphragm [0109] 204 Blow-off diaphragm [0110] 464 Non-return valve [0111] 466 Main diaphragm [0112] 468 Main diaphragm [0113] 470 Second diaphragm [0114] 472 First diaphragm [0115] 560 Valve device [0116] 562 Coil unit [0117] 564 Armature [0118] 566 Ram [0119] 568 First bearing [0120] 570 Second bearing [0121] 572 Channel [0122] 574 Closure element [0123] 576 Magnet chamber [0124] 578 Passage opening [0125] 580 Coil space [0126] 582 Housing [0127] 584 Cavity [0128] 586 First chamber [0129] 588 Second chamber [0130] 590 Inlet [0131] 592 Outlet [0132] 594 Valve seat [0133] 596 Third chamber [0134] 598 First end [0135] 600 Second end [0136] 602 First opening [0137] 604 Second opening [0138] 606 Control line [0139] 608 Control line [0140] 610 Motor vehicle [0141] L Longitudinal axis