MOTOR VEHICLE DRIVE ASSEMBLY

Abstract

A motor vehicle drive assembly, which is equipped with an electric motor and an output element, which is driven by the electric motor indirectly or directly. Furthermore, a spring associated with the output element is realized, which spring is designed to bidirectionally return the output element. According to the invention, the spring is designed as a spiral spring which is designed to be windable and unwindable proceeding both from the inner spring let and from the outer leg.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle drive assembly, which is equipped with an electric motor and at least one output element, which is driven by the electric motor indirectly or directly, and with a spring associated with the output element, which is set up for bidirectional return of the output element, wherein the spring is designed as a spiral spring, which is designed to be windable both proceeding from the inner spring leg and from the outer spring leg.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the inner spring leg of the spiral spring has a connected lever.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the lever has an opening for engagement of the inner spring leg.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the output element has a contour interacting with the spiral spring.

5. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein the contour as well as the spiral spring are arranged on a rear side of the output element.

6. The assembly according to claim 4, wherein the contour can interact both with the outer spring leg of the spiral spring and with the lever and thus the inner spring leg of the spiral spring.

7. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein characterized in that the output element is designed as a worm wheel.

8. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein characterized in that the output element is equipped with at least one operating contour on its front side.

9. The assembly according to claim 8, wherein the operating contour interacts with a further component of the motor vehicle door latch, for example a central locking lever, a release lever, a child safety lever, or an anti-theft lever.

10. A motor vehicle door latch having a locking mechanism and having a motor vehicle drive assembly according to claim 1.

Description

[0018] The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings; in which:

[0019] FIG. 1 shows the motor vehicle drive assembly according to the invention in an application in the interior of a motor vehicle door latch in a front view and

[0020] FIG. 2 shows the subject matter of FIG. 1 in the associated rear view.

[0021] A motor vehicle drive assembly is shown in the figures. In the present case, the motor vehicle drive assembly is installed in a housing 1 of a motor vehicle door latch. This is of course only an example and is in no way restrictive.

[0022] The motor vehicle door latch having the housing 1 indicated in FIG. 1 has conventional components in its interior such as a release lever 2 and a pawl 3 as part of a locking mechanism (not shown in detail). The motor vehicle drive assembly has an electric motor 4 as well as an output element 5 driven indirectly or directly with the aid of the electric motor 4.

[0023] In the exemplary embodiment, the electric motor 4 provides a direct drive for the output element 5. For this purpose, the electric motor 4 has on the output side an output worm 6 on its output shaft, which meshes with a toothing (not shown in detail), on the output element 5 designed as a worm wheel 5. In this way, the worm wheel 5 can perform clockwise and counterclockwise rotational movements about its axis 7 indicated in FIG. 1, as indicated by a double arrow in FIG. 1. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the electric motor 4 drives the output element 5 only indirectly, for example via a transmission connected in between.

[0024] A clockwise rotation of the worm wheel 5 ensures that an operating contour 8 arranged on the front side of the worm wheel 5 comes to abutment on the release lever 2 after completing an operating path indicated in FIG. 1. The further clockwise movement of the operating contour 8 then ensures that the release lever 2 is also pivoted clockwise about its axis indicated in FIG. 1, as shown by a further arrow in FIG. 1. The pivoting movement of the operating lever 2 has the effect that the pawl 3 is lifted from its engagement with a catch (not shown in detail). The associated locking mechanism arranged perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in FIG. 1 is opened. In other words, the illustrated motor vehicle drive assembly is implemented and used in the example of FIG. 1 for the electrical opening process of the motor vehicle door latch or its locking mechanism illustrated therein.

[0025] Based on FIG. 2 with the associated rear view of the motor vehicle drive assembly already described above, it is clear that a spring 9 assigned to the output element 5 is also provided. The spring 9 is set up for the bidirectional return of the output element 5. In other words, the spring 9 ensures in both directions of rotation of the worm wheel 5, in principle indicated in FIG. 1, thatafter the electric motor 4 no longer acts on the worm wheel 5the worm wheel 5 is transferred to its neutral position or idle position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1. For this purpose, the spring 9 is tensioned in both directions of rotation during a corresponding movement process. As soon as the electric motor 4 no longer acts on the worm wheel 5, the spring 9 can relax and ensures that the worm wheel 5 is returned to the neutral position or idle position shown in FIG. 1 when acted upon by a spring.

[0026] According to the invention, the spring 9 is a spiral spring 9. The spiral spring 9 has an inner spring leg 9a and an outer spring leg 9b. In this way, the spiral spring 9 is windable both proceeding from the inner spring leg 9a and proceeding from the outer spring leg 9b, as will be explained in more detail below. In fact, the inner spring leg 9a of the spiral spring 9 has a connected lever 10. The lever 10 is equipped with an opening 10a, into which the inner spring leg 9a of the spiral spring 9 engages.

[0027] The lever 10 is rotatably connected to the output element 5. Usually, the common axis 7 is used. Since the lever 10 engages over the spiral spring 9, the spiral spring 9 is held in the interstice between the output element 5 and the lever 10. In addition, the end of the inner spring leg 9a is secured in the opening 10a of the lever 10.

[0028] The worm wheel 5 has a contour 11 which interacts with the spiral spring 9. The contour 11, like the spiral spring 9 and the lever 10, is located on the rear side of the worm wheel 5, whereas the operating contour 8 described above with reference to FIG. 1 is arranged on the front side of the worm wheel 5.

[0029] The overall design is such that the contour 11 can interact both with the outer spring leg 9b of the spiral spring 9 and with the lever 10 and thus the inner spring leg 9a of the spiral spring 9. In the scope of the exemplary embodiment, the contour 11 is designed as an arcuate contour, the radius of which is adapted to the radius of the circular worm wheel 5.

[0030] In this way, a counterclockwise and clockwise rotation of the worm wheel 5 indicated in FIG. 2 results in the contour 11 in question interacting with either the lever 10 and thus the inner spring leg 9a or the outer spring leg 9b of the spiral spring 9.

[0031] If, for example, the worm wheel 5 according to the rear view of FIG. 2 is driven with the aid of the electric motor 4 so that it executes a counterclockwise movement, then the contour 11 ensures that the lever 10 is also pivoted counterclockwise. As a result of this, the spiral spring 9 is tensioned by being wound, proceeding from the inner spring leg 9a, and the lever 10 moves away from an associated stop 12. In contrast, the outer spring leg 9b remains in the idle state due to its abutment with a further associated stop 13.

[0032] If, however, the worm wheel 5 is acted upon in a clockwise direction in the representation according to FIG. 2, the contour 11 works on the outer spring leg 9b and lifts it off the associated further stop 13. Subsequently, the inner spring leg 9a remains in the idle state via the lever 10 due to its abutment with the stop 12. In both cases, the spiral spring 9 is wound up both proceeding from the inner spring leg 9a and from the outer spring leg 9b and is tensioned as a result. As soon as the worm wheel 5 is no longer acted upon in the example shown, the spiral spring 9 can relax and the inner spring leg 9a or the connected lever 10 moves against the associated stop 12. The same applies to the outer spring leg 9b, which abuts against the associated stop 13 when the spiral spring 9 is relaxed.

[0033] The worm wheel 5 on the one hand and the spiral spring 9 on the other hand are designed independently of one another. In other words, the spiral spring 9 is held in abutment with the output element or worm wheel 5 with the aid of the lever 10, for example, but is not coupled to the worm wheel 5 in any way. As a result, the spiral spring 9 can be wound up and unwound as described both proceeding from the inner spring leg 9a and from the outer spring leg 9b with the aid of the worm wheel 5 or the contour 11 attached to it.