GUIDE DEVICE

Abstract

In order to provide a guide device which is easy to build and enables efficient influencing of movement, it is proposed that the guide device comprises the following: at least two guide rails (112), which are movable relative to one another by means of a rolling element arrangement (12); and a movement device (134) for influencing the movement of the at least two guide rails (112) relative to one another.

Claims

1. A guide device for displaceably mounting an object on a further object, wherein the guide device comprises the following: at least two guide rails, which are movable relative to one another by means of a rolling element arrangement; a movement device for influencing the movement of the at least two guide rails relative to one another.

2. A guide device in accordance with claim 1, wherein each guide rail has a substantially C-shaped cross section and comprises a rail back, from which two limbs provided with rolling element races protrude laterally.

3. A guide device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the movement device comprises a first coupling element and a second coupling element, wherein the first coupling element and the second coupling element are coupled or couplable to one another in order to influence the movement of the at least two guide rails relative to one another, wherein the first coupling element is secured directly on or relative to a first guide rail or is formed by a portion or part of the first guide rail, and/or wherein the second coupling element is secured directly on or relative to a second guide rail or is formed by a portion or part of the second guide rail.

4. A guide device in accordance with claim 3, wherein at least one of the coupling elements extends at least over a maximum displacement path of the guide device, so that the coupling elements are coupled or couplable to one another continuously over the entire displacement path.

5. A guide device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the movement device comprises at least one coupling element which is arranged, in particular secured, on a rail back of one of the guide rails and/or on a limb of one of the guide rails.

6. A guide device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the movement device comprises a coupling element formed as a rotary element, in particular as a toothed wheel, and/or one or more coupling elements formed as linear elements, in particular as toothed racks.

7. A guide device in accordance with claim 6, wherein the rotation axis of the rotary element runs at least approximately perpendicularly to a plane of extent, parallel to which at least one rail back of at least one guide rail extends.

8. A guide device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the movement device comprises one, two or more than two coupling elements, which are arranged fully within an intermediate space formed between the at least two guide rails.

9. A guide device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the movement device comprises a damping device and/or a drive device or is formed as a damping device and/or as a drive device.

10. A guide device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the guide rails are formed mirror-symmetrically with respect to a longitudinal median plane running perpendicularly to rail backs of the two guide rails and along a displacement direction.

11. A displacement system, comprising two objects and a guide device in accordance with claim 1, by means of which one of the two objects is mounted on the further of the two objects so as to be displaceable relative to the further object.

12. A displacement system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the guide device is arranged between the two objects with respect to the direction of gravity.

13. A displacement system in accordance with claim 11, wherein one or more rail backs of guide rails of the guide device are oriented substantially perpendicularly to the direction of gravity or obliquely hereto.

14. A displacement system in accordance with claim 11, wherein the displacement system is an armrest device, wherein one of the two objects is an armrest element, and/or wherein one of the two objects is a centre console of a motor vehicle.

15. A motor vehicle comprising one or more guide device(s) in accordance with claim 1 for mounting components of the motor vehicle displaceably relative to one another.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0086] FIG. 1 shows a schematic perspective illustration of a guide device;

[0087] FIG. 2 shows a schematic plan view of an upper side of the guide device from FIG. 1;

[0088] FIG. 3 shows a schematic vertical cross-section through the guide device along line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

[0089] FIG. 4 shows a schematic side view of the guide device from FIG. 1 with viewing direction in the direction of the arrow 4 in FIG. 2

[0090] Identical or functionally equivalent elements are provided in all of the figures with the same reference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0091] An embodiment of a guide device denoted as a whole by 100 shown in FIG. 1 to 4 is used for example as part of a displacement system 102 in a motor vehicle.

[0092] The displacement system 102 is in particular an armrest device 104, in which the guide device 100 is used for the displaceable mounting of an armrest element 106 on a centre console 108.

[0093] The armrest element 106 and the centre console 108 thus form in particular objects 110, which are displaceable relative to one another by means of the guide device 100 (see in particular FIG. 3).

[0094] The guide device 100 preferably comprises two guide rails 112.

[0095] More than two guide rails 112, however, for example three, four or more guide rails 112, may also be provided. In particular, a longer displacement path (course of movement) in a displacement direction 114 may be provided as a result of the increased number of guide rails 112.

[0096] At least one guide rail 112, in particular both guide rails 112, comprise preferably in each case a rail back 116, which in particular is substantially flat and level.

[0097] Two limbs 118 are provided on mutually opposed sides of the rail back 116. The limbs 118 protrude away from the rail back 116, in particular laterally.

[0098] The limbs 118 and the rail back 116 on the whole have a cross section of substantially C-shaped design.

[0099] The cross section is in particular taken in a plane running perpendicularly to the displacement direction 114.

[0100] The two guide rails 112 are mounted displaceably relative to one another by means of a rolling element arrangement 120.

[0101] The rolling element arrangement 120 comprises in particular a plurality of rolling elements 122, in particular balls 124.

[0102] The rolling elements 122 are positioned relative to one another preferably by means of a rolling element cage 126 and are held rotatably between the two guide rails 112.

[0103] The rolling elements 122 can in particular roll along rolling element races 128 of the guide rails 112.

[0104] The rolling element races 128 are formed on the limbs 118 of the guide rails 112.

[0105] The limbs 118 and the rail back 116 of each guide rail 112 are preferably formed jointly from a one-piece metal sheet material, in particular by shaping a metal strip.

[0106] Both rail backs 116 run preferably substantially parallel to one another and parallel to a plane of extent 130.

[0107] In the assembled state of the guide device 100, the guide rails 112 are preferably oriented such that the plane of extent 130 is oriented substantially horizontally.

[0108] A longitudinal median plane 132 of the guide device 100 running perpendicularly to the plane of extent 130 and along the displacement direction 114 is preferably oriented substantially vertically and thus parallel to the force of gravity g.

[0109] The longitudinal median plane 132 is in particular a plane of symmetry of the guide device 100.

[0110] In particular, the guide rails 112 and the rolling element arrangement 120 are preferably substantially mirror-symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal median plane 132.

[0111] As can be inferred from FIG. 1 to 4, the guide device 100 preferably comprises a movement device 134 for influencing the movement of the guide rails 112 relative to one another.

[0112] The movement device 134 is or comprises in particular a damping device 136 and/or a drive device 138.

[0113] A movement of one guide rail 112 relative to the further guide rail 112 preferably may be damped by means of the damping device 136. In particular, a desired displacement force and/or a desired resistance during the movement of the guide rails 112 relative to one another may be adjusted and/or selected.

[0114] A movement of the guide rail 112 relative to the further guide rail 112 preferably may be automated by means of the drive device 138. In particular a motorised drive may be provided.

[0115] The movement device 134 comprises in particular a movement unit 140.

[0116] The movement unit 140 is for example formed as a damping unit 142 and/or as a drive unit 144.

[0117] In order to influence the movement of the two guide rails 112 relative to one another, these are preferably coupled or couplable to one another.

[0118] The movement device 134 to this end comprises in particular one or more coupling elements 146.

[0119] In particular, a coupling element 146 is arranged on one guide rail 112 and a further coupling element 146 is arranged on the further guide rail 112.

[0120] A coupling element 146 is for example formed as a linear element 148, in particular as a toothed rack 150.

[0121] A further coupling element 146 is formed for example as a rotary element 152, in particular as a toothed wheel 154.

[0122] The two coupling elements 146 are in engagement with one another (coupled to one another) preferably over an entire maximum displacement path (course of movement).

[0123] An influencing of movement may thus be made possible preferably in any desired position of the guide rails 112 relative to one another.

[0124] The coupling element 146 formed for example as a toothed rack 150 is arranged preferably on an inner side 156 of a rail back 116 of a guide rail 112. In particular, one or more connection elements 158 for securing the coupling element 146 to the inner side 156 of the rail back 116 are provided.

[0125] The connection elements 158 may be, in particular, clip elements, detent elements, rivets, weld spots, adhesive bonding spots and/or screws.

[0126] In particular, two connection elements 158 are provided at opposite ends 160 of the coupling element 146.

[0127] The coupling element 146 comprises, in particular at the ends 160, two connection portions 162 engaged by the connection elements 158.

[0128] In particular, a coupling portion 164 of the coupling element 146 is arranged and/or formed between the two connection portions 162.

[0129] The coupling portion 164 is in particular a toothed rack 150 which comprises numerous teeth 166.

[0130] The teeth 166 are preferably oriented such that a toothed wheel 154 to be brought into engagement with the toothed rack engages with the toothed rack 150 in a direction running parallel to the plane of extent 130 and perpendicularly to the displacement direction 114.

[0131] A rear side of the toothed rack 150 facing away from the teeth 166 is preferably adjacent to a limb 118 of a guide rail 112.

[0132] It may be provided that a gap 170 is formed between the toothed rack 150 and the limb 118, in particular to enable tolerance compensation.

[0133] It may also be provided, however, that the rear side 168 of the toothed rack 150 abuts directly against the limb 118 temporarily during operation or permanently.

[0134] A side of the limb 118 facing the toothed rack 150 is in particular an inner side 156, which in particular is arranged facing away from and/or opposite a rolling element race 128 of the same limb 18.

[0135] This inner side 156 of the limb 118 forms in particular a contact face 172 of the limb 118 against which the coupling element 146 abuts.

[0136] The coupling element 146 may thus be supported in particular on the limb 118, for example if excessively strong forces act on the coupling element 146 and the coupling element is thus deformed, in particular deflected.

[0137] The entire linear element 148 formed as a coupling element 146, in particular the toothed rack 150, is preferably arranged in an intermediate space 174 of the guide device 100.

[0138] The intermediate space 174 is in particular the space enclosed by the two rail backs 116 and the limbs 118.

[0139] The inner sides 156 of the rail backs 116 and of the limbs 118 are thus the sides of the rail backs and the limbs 118 facing the intermediate space 174.

[0140] As can be seen in particular in FIG. 3, the coupling element 146 formed as a rotary element 152, in particular as a toothed wheel 154, is connected to the damping unit 142 or the drive unit 144 by means of a shaft 176.

[0141] The damping unit 142 is thus actuated by means of the shaft 146 by rotation of the rotary element 152. Furthermore, a torque generated by the drive unit 144 can be transferred to the rotary element by means of the shaft 176 so as to ultimately move the guide rails 112 relative to one another.

[0142] The shaft 176 and the rotary element 152 are in particular mounted rotatably about a rotation axis 178.

[0143] The rotation axis 178 runs in particular at least approximately in the longitudinal median plane 132.

[0144] The rotation axis 178 is preferably oriented substantially perpendicularly to the plane of extent 130.

[0145] The damping unit 142 and/or the drive unit 144 are preferably integrated in a rail back 116 of a guide rail 112.

[0146] This rail back 116 of the guide rail 112 to this end comprises in particular an opening 180 for receiving the damping unit 142 or the drive unit 114.

[0147] In the embodiment of the guide device 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 the damping unit 142 and/or the drive unit 144 protrudes outwardly from the intermediate space 174 through the opening 180 beyond the rail back 116. However, a fully integrated arrangement is preferably provided, in which the damping unit 142 and/or the drive unit 144, on its upper side facing away from the intermediate space 174, terminates substantially flush with the rail back 116.

[0148] As can also be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the rolling element cage 126 preferably has a recess 182.

[0149] The two lateral portions of the rolling element cage 126 provided with rolling elements 122 may thus surround the damping unit 142 and/or the drive unit 144.

[0150] As a result, the use of a damping device 136 and/or a drive device 138 preferably may be prevented from causing a reduction of the maximum displacement path (course of movement).

[0151] In particular, the use of a damping unit 142 preferably enables a relatively stiff actuation, in particular displacement, of the guide rails 112 relative to one another.

[0152] For example in the case of use of the guide device 100 for displaceable mounting of an armrest element 106, the armrest element 106 can hereby be prevented from being displaced too easily into undesirable positions or even from changing position automatically as the motor vehicle is accelerated or braked. The use of a drive device 138, by contrast, enables the automated, in particular motorised, displacement of the guide rails 112 relative to one another. As a result, in particular pull-out drawers or boot floors may be actuated particularly comfortably.

[0153] Due to the use of guide rails 112 mounted using rolling elements, a high stability of the guide device 100 is also attained. This allows a high mechanical loading of the object 110 to be displaced and also a high level of quality from an optical, acoustic and haptic viewpoint.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0154] 100 guide device

[0155] 102 displacement system

[0156] 104 armrest device

[0157] 106 armrest element

[0158] 108 centre console

[0159] 110 object

[0160] 112 guide rail

[0161] 114 displacement direction

[0162] 116 rail back

[0163] 118 limb

[0164] 120 rolling element arrangement

[0165] 122 rolling element

[0166] 124 ball

[0167] 126 rolling element cage

[0168] 128 rolling element race

[0169] 130 plane of extent

[0170] 132 longitudinal median plane

[0171] 134 movement direction

[0172] 136 damping direction

[0173] 138 drive device

[0174] 140 movement unit

[0175] 142 damping unit

[0176] 144 drive unit

[0177] 146 coupling element

[0178] 148 linear element

[0179] 150 toothed rack

[0180] 152 rotary element

[0181] 154 toothed wheel

[0182] 156 inner side

[0183] 158 connection element

[0184] 160 end

[0185] 162 connection portion

[0186] 164 coupling portion

[0187] 166 tooth

[0188] 168 rear side

[0189] 170 gap

[0190] 172 bearing face

[0191] 174 intermediate space

[0192] 176 shaft

[0193] 178 rotation axis

[0194] 180 opening

[0195] 182 recess

[0196] g direction of gravity