MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR, IN PARTICULAR MOTOR VEHICLE SLIDING DOOR

Abstract

A motor vehicle door, in particular a motor vehicle sliding door, having a motorized drive and a downstream coupling device for acting on a door leaf, and having a control unit for the drive and the coupling device. The coupling device is generally disengaged and is only engaged for the motorized driving of the door leaf.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle door, in particular a motor vehicle sliding door, having a motorized drive and a downstream coupling device for acting on a door leaf, and having a control unit for the drive and the coupling device, wherein the coupling device is generally disengaged and is only engaged for the motorized driving of the door leaf.

2. The motor vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein the coupling device generally maintains its engaged position even when the door leaf assumes a static intermediate position between its open position and closed position upon motorized operation.

3. The motor vehicle door according to claim 2, wherein the control unit is provided to disengage the coupling device when the static intermediate position lies within a predefined width.

4. The motor vehicle door according to claim 2, wherein the control unit additionally acts on the coupling device according to signals from an inclination sensor.

5. The motor vehicle door according to claim 4, wherein the control unit is provided to keep the coupling device disengaged in all intermediate positions when on a flat surface.

6. The motor vehicle door according to claim 3, wherein the control unit only holds the coupling device in the engaged position, according to the signals of the inclination sensor, if the door leaf in the intermediate position is at rest and at the same time the inclination sensor registers a vehicle inclination.

7. The motor vehicle door according to claim 1, characterized in that the coupling device is equipped with an electrically operable coupling drive.

8. The motor vehicle door according to claim 5, wherein the electrically operable coupling drive is connected to the control unit.

9. The motor vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein the coupling device is equipped with an emergency operating element.

10. The motor vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein the coupling device works mechanically and the engaged and disengaged positions correspond to the presence or absence of a positive connection.

11. The motor vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein a position sensor connected to the control unit for the direct or indirect detection of a door position.

12. A method for operating a motor vehicle door, in particular a motor vehicle sliding door, according to which a control unit acts on a motor drive and on a coupling device downstream thereof with a door leaf connected thereto, characterized in that the control unit keeps the coupling device in its disengaged position and only switches it to the engaged position to move the door leaf.

Description

[0030] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing illustrating only one exemplary embodiment. The single FIGURE shows a motor vehicle door according to the invention, and in particular a motor vehicle sliding door, in a schematic overview.

[0031] In the single FIGURE, a motor vehicle door, which is a motor vehicle sliding door in the exemplary embodiment shown, is shown schematically. It has a door leaf 1 which can be moved back and forth linearly, for example, as indicated by an arrow. In another embodiment, a pivoting movement of the door leaf 1 for opening and closing the motor vehicle door is also possible. For this purpose, the door leaf 1 in the exemplary embodiment is connected via a flexible connecting means 2 to a motorized drive and/or electromotive drive 3, 4 having a downstream coupling device 5. The drive 3, 4 with the downstream coupling device 5 can, for example, be arranged in a stationary manner in a motor vehicle body, relative to which the door leaf 1 is moved back and forth. In principle, it is also possible to mount the drive 3, 4, including the coupling device 5, inside the door leaf 1. A maximum opening width of the motor vehicle door with maximum displacement of the door leaf 1 is selected so that a Europool pallet with its dimensions of 1200 mm800 mm can be loaded into the motor vehicle without the Europool palette being tilted.

[0032] The basic structure then also includes a control unit 6 which acts on and controls, on the one hand, a motor and/or electric motor 3 as a component of the drive 3, 4 and, on the other hand, an electrically operable coupling drive 7. The control unit 6 may also be arranged inside the door leaf 1 or inside the motor vehicle body, which is not expressly shown.

[0033] In the single FIGURE, two sensors 8, 9 are shown. The sensor 8 is a position sensor 8 which is arranged on or in the drive 3, 4 and detects the position of the door leaf 1 with respect to the motor vehicle door body. The position sensor 8 can, for example, be a Hall sensor.

[0034] Alternatively, the position sensor 8 can be another sensor which is suitable for directly or indirectly detecting a position of the door leaf 1 with respect to the motor vehicle door body, for example a speed sensor, an optical sensor or a step counter. By means of the position sensor 8, at least one open position, one closed position, and also an intermediate position between the open position and the closed position of the door leaf 1 relative to an opening in the motor vehicle body can be determined.

[0035] The sensor 9 is designed according to the embodiment as an inclination sensor 9. Such an inclination sensor 9 is typically present and provided in any motor vehicle anyway, as has already been described in the introduction. The signal from the inclination sensor 9 can be transmitted to the control unit 6, for example, via a bus system within the motor vehicle.

[0036] The motor and/or electric motor 3 works on the coupling device 5 via an optional and downstream gearing 4. In the exemplary embodiment, the coupling device 5 is designed to be mechanical and at least assumes the engaged and disengaged positions. In the engaged position, there is a positive connection within the coupling device 5, such that, for example, rotary movements of the electric motor M are transmitted to the flexible connecting means 2 via the gearing 4 and the engaged coupling device 5. The flexible connecting means 2 is advantageously a Bowden cable 2, which may be wound up and unwound on a winding drum, which in turn is acted upon by the drive 3, 4 and the coupling device 5 connected downstream to produce rotation. In alternative configurations, the flexible connecting means 2 can be designed, for example, as a toothed belt or as a fixed Bowden cable 2, which functions similarly to a toothed belt. Since the door leaf 1 is connected to one end of the flexible connecting means and/or the Bowden cable 2, the door leaf 1 can be moved back and forth. For this purpose, the Bowden cable 2 in question is accordingly wound and unwound by the winding drum. Details of such a sliding door drive are well known in the prior art, for which reference is made to the applicant's DE 197 02 698 C2 only by way of example. The coupling device 5 is configured in such a manner that maintaining a set engaged or disengaged position is realized without current. That is, electrical current is only required for a change between the positions.

[0037] The way it works is as follows. As already explained, the control unit 6 functions to act on the drive 3, 4, on the one hand, and to act on the coupling device 5 and/or the associated electrically operable coupling drive 7 on the other hand, by means of which the coupling device 5 can be switched into its basic functional positions engaged or disengaged. In principle, the coupling device 5 can be designed in the manner and can operate in the manner described in detail in connection with the motor vehicle locking device in accordance with the applicant's DE 10 2009 014 404 A1.

[0038] This means that the coupling device 5 works mechanically in the exemplary embodiment and the engaged position corresponds to a positive connection of, for example, associated and mutually contacting disks, while the disengaged functional position denotes the absence of a positive connection. In addition, the coupling device 5 may be equipped with an emergency operation element (not shown in detail), by means of which the functional positions engaged and disengaged can be implementedrather than by the electrically operable coupling drive 7.

[0039] The coupling device 5 is generally disengaged in the exemplary embodiment. The coupling device 5 is engaged only for the motor to act on the door leaf 1. For this purpose, an operator can, for example, give a corresponding command to the control unit 6. This can be done using a remote control or a switch in the motor vehicle body. The desired motorized operation of the door leaf 1 now leads to the control unit 6 first switching the coupling device 5 from the generally assumed disengaged position to the engaged functional position by means of the electrically operable coupling drive 7. This corresponds to a positive connection of the coupling device 5, such that when the electric motor 3 is subsequently acted upon, its rotary movements, by way of example, are ultimately transmitted via the downstream gearing 4 and the following coupling device 5 to the drive drum mentioned above. The rotating drive drum functions so that the flexible connecting means and/orthe Bowden cable 2 is wound or unwound thereon and, as a result, the door leaf 1 connected to the end of the flexible connecting means 2 performs the desired linear movements relative to the motor vehicle body.

[0040] The operator can now stop the door leaf 1 in a desired intermediate position between its open position and closed position with respect to the motor vehicle body. This may include a corresponding command which the operator transmits to the control unit 6. In the exemplary embodiment, the assumption of this static intermediate position of the door leaf 1 now corresponds to the fact that the electric motor 3 is no longer acted upon by means of the control unit 6, and the control unit 6 at the same time ensures, via the electrically operable coupling drive 7, that the coupling device 5 leaves its engaged position assumed during the movement of the door leaf 1 and switches to the disengaged position.

[0041] However, this applies only and exclusively in the event that the query of the inclination sensor 9 by means of the control unit 6 has previously shown that there is no inclination of the motor vehicle body. That is, if the motor vehicle is level, the assumption of the intermediate position of the door leaf 1 between its open position and closed position corresponds to the coupling device 5 being disengaged and the electric motor 3 being stopped. As a result of this, the door leaf 1 can, for example, be easily moved back and forth manually by the operator with little force, like a mechanically operating door leaf.

[0042] Since the control unit 6 additionally acts on the coupling device 5 according to signals from the inclination sensor 9, a vehicle inclination registered by means of the inclination sensor 9 otherwise leads to the control unit 6 holding the coupling device 5 in the engaged position in this case. That is, if the door leaf 1 is at rest in the intermediate position between its open position and closed position and the inclination sensor 9 registers a vehicle inclination at the same time, the control unit 6 ensures that the coupling device 5 maintains its engaged functional position.

[0043] The consequence of this is that the door leaf 1 is not automatically moved in any direction on a slope after reaching the intermediate position, but rather is held in this intermediate position by self-locking forces. In this case, the coupling device 5 maintains its engaged functional position, and associated self-locking forces of the drive 3, 4 ensure that the door leaf 1 is held in the intermediate position, without an additional mechanical locking device being required. The drive 3, 4 is selected in such a manner that the self-locking forces are sufficient for the door leaf 1 to be blocked at an inclination of 30% (10%).

[0044] If there is a failure of the electrical power supply in this case, the door leaf 1 can nevertheless be moved back and forth with ease, specifically by overcoming the self-locking forces of the drive 3, 4 already mentioned. If the motor vehicle is level and in this case the electrical power supply fails, the coupling device 5 even assumes its disengaged functional position, such that the door leaf 1 can then be moved back and forth manually and mechanically without difficulty.

[0045] In order to also implement the movement of the door leaf 1 manually and mechanically in a simple manner in the event of a failure of the electrical power supply and on a slope, the coupling device 5 and/or the electrically operable coupling drive 7 is equipped with an additional emergency operation element (not shown). In this case, the coupling device 5 can be switched from its assumed engaged functional position to the disengaged functional position by means of the emergency operating element. The emergency operating element can be designed, for example, as a plastic cable with an eyelet on the coupling drive 7 or as a Bowden cable.