DRIVE DEVICE HAVING A SUPPORTING DEVICE

Abstract

A drive device includes a housing having a first housing part and a second housing part. The first housing part is axially movable in relation to the second housing part along a longitudinal axis of the housing. The drive device includes a preloading means located in the housing for axially preloading the first housing part with respect to the second housing part; a spindle rod coupled to one of the first housing part and the second housing part; and a spindle nut. The spindle nut is in threaded engagement with the spindle rod and is coupled to the other one of the first housing part and the second housing part. A stop part is at least indirectly connected to the first housing part, and a first end of the preloading means rests against the stop part.

Claims

1-32. (canceled)

33. A drive device comprising: a housing having a first housing part and a second housing part, the first housing part being axially displaceable relative to the second housing part along a longitudinal axis of the housing; a preloading means arranged in the housing for axial preloading of the first housing part relative to the second housing part; a spindle rod coupled to one of the first housing part and the second housing part; a spindle nut threadedly engaged with the spindle rod and coupled to the other of the first housing part and the second housing part; and a stop part connected to the first housing part by material bonding, a first end of the preloading means abutting against the stop part.

34. The drive device according to claim 33, wherein a second end, opposite the first end, of the preloading means abuts against the second housing part.

35. The drive device according to claim 33, wherein the stop part is axially secured via a laser weld.

36. The drive device according to claim 33, wherein a first guide tube is connected to the first housing part.

37. The drive device according to claim 36, wherein the preloading means radially surrounds the first guide tube at least in sections.

38. The drive device according to claim 36, wherein a second guide tube is connected to the second housing part, wherein the first guide tube and the second guide tube are axially inserted into one another and axially displaceable relative to one another.

39. The drive device according to claim 38, wherein the preloading means radially surrounds both the first guide tube and the second guide tube at least in sections.

40. The drive device according to claim 39, wherein the first guide tube is arranged in the first housing part concentrically around the longitudinal axis of the housing.

41. The drive device according to claim 36, wherein the stop part is directly connected to the first guide tube.

42. The drive device according to claim 36, wherein the stop part is directly connected to the first guide tube in a section located between a first end and a second end of the first guide tube.

43. The drive device according to claim 33, wherein the stop part is annular.

44. The drive device according to claim 33, wherein the stop part is designed as a hollow cylinder.

45. The drive device according to claim 36, wherein the stop part is arranged concentrically around the longitudinal axis of the housing.

46. The drive device according to claim 33, wherein a hollow cylindrical inner side of the stop part is connected at least in sections to a cylindrical outer side of the first guide tube.

47. The drive device according to claim 36, wherein the stop part is connected to the first guide tube by material bonding.

48. The drive device according to claim 47, wherein the stop part is connected to the first guide tube by laser welding.

49. The drive device according to claim 33, wherein the stop part is made of plastics material.

50. The drive device according to claim 36, wherein the first guide tube is made of plastics material.

51. The drive device according to claim 50, wherein the stop part is made of a laser-transparent plastics material and the first guide tube is made of a laser-intransparent plastics material.

52. The drive device according to claim 33, wherein the preloading means is designed as a coil spring.

Description

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The present disclosure is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings using a preferred exemplary embodiment.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a preferred exemplary embodiment of a drive device according to the present disclosure in a cross-sectional view.

[0025] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the drive device from FIG. 1 in the area of the stop part.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a preferred exemplary embodiment of a drive device 1 according to the present disclosure in a cross-sectional view. The drive device 1 comprises a housing 2, which comprises a first housing part 3 and a second housing part 4, which are inserted into one another and can be displaced with respect to one another in the direction of a longitudinal axis L of the housing 2. The drive device 1 is thus designed as a telescopic linear drive and comprises a first joint part 5 arranged at a first end 3a of the first housing part 3 and designed as a ball socket, and a second joint part 6 arranged at a first end 4a of the second housing part 4 and also designed as a ball socket. Advantageously, the drive device 1 can thus be hinged with the first end 3a of the first housing part 3 via the first joint part 5 to one of the vehicle flap and vehicle body and with the second end 4a via the second joint part 6 to the other of the vehicle flap and vehicle body. The first joint part 5 and the second joint part 6 are each pressed into the first end 3a of the first housing part 3 and the first end 4a of the second housing part 4, respectively.

[0027] Further, the drive device 1 comprises a first guide tube 7 which is fixedly connected to the first housing part 3. Here, the first housing part 3 and the first guide tube 7 are arranged concentrically around the longitudinal axis L of the housing 2. Further, the drive device 1 comprises a second guide tube 8, which is connected via a screw connection to the second joint part 6 or, correspondingly, indirectly to the second housing part 4. The second housing part 4 and the second guide tube 8 are arranged concentrically around the longitudinal axis L of the housing 2, wherein the second guide tube 8 has a smaller outer diameter than the first guide tube 7. Advantageously, the second guide tube 8 has an outer diameter which corresponds approximately to the inner diameter of the first guide tube 7, such that the first guide tube 7 radially surrounds the second guide tube 8, wherein the first guide tube 7 is axially displaceable relative to the second guide tube 8. Advantageously, a displacement of the first housing part 3 relative to the second housing part 4 simultaneously causes a displacement of the first guide tube 7 relative to the second guide tube 8. Since the first guide tube 7 and the second guide tube 8 are inserted into each other, a continuous guide concentrically arranged in the housing 2 is formed, which is also designed to be telescopic.

[0028] In the housing 2, a spindle rod 9 and a spindle nut 10 are arranged concentrically about the longitudinal axis L, wherein the spindle rod 9 is in threaded engagement with the spindle nut 10. In this case, the spindle nut 10 is fixedly connected to an inner side 8a of the second guide tube 8, such that the spindle nut 10 is arranged in a rotationally fixed and stationary manner relative to the second guide tube 8 or the second housing part 4. The spindle rod 9 is connected with a first end 9a to an output shaft of a drive unit 11 via a serration in a torsionally locked manner in order to drive the spindle rod 9 in rotation by a motor. The drive unit 11 is permanently arranged in the first housing part 3 and is supplied with power via a supply line 12. Furthermore, the spindle rod 9 is axially secured against displacement relative to the drive unit 11 or the first housing part 3. By corresponding rotation of the spindle rod 9 by means of the drive unit 11, the spindle nut 10 and, together with the spindle nut 10, also the second housing part 4 or the second guide tube 8 are thus displaced axially relative to the first housing part 3 or the first guide tube, such that the housing 2 is retracted or extended accordingly. With the first joint part 5 appropriately coupled to one of the vehicle body and vehicle flap and the second joint part 6 coupled to the other of the vehicle body and vehicle flap, a pivoting movement of the vehicle flap can be driven thereby by means of the drive device 1.

[0029] The drive device 1 further comprises a preloading means 13 designed as a coil spring, which serves to preload the first housing part 3 relative to the second housing part 4 at least in the extension direction. Advantageously, this provides a supporting device integrated in the drive device 1, which serves as an auxiliary means for supporting a vehicle flap, particularly in the event of a defect in the drive device 11. In addition, this reduces the load on the drive device 11. An annular stop part 14 is arranged on an outer side 7a of the hollow cylindrical first guide tube 7. The stop part 14 is axially secured to the first guide tube 7 by welding. The stop part 14 is designed as an annular hollow cylinder and rotates radially around the hollow-cylindrical first guide tube 7. An inner side 14a of the stop part 14 contacts the outer side 7a of the first guide tube. Here, an inner diameter of the first stop part 14 corresponds approximately to the outer diameter of the first guide tube 7. Advantageously, the stop part 14 can be slid onto the first guide tube 7 and, depending on the specific preloading means 13 used, can be fastened axially to the first guide tube 7 by welding in an area between a first end 7b and a second end 7c of the first guide tube.

[0030] In this case, a first end 13a of the preloading means 13 rests against an end face 14b of the stop part 14, and a second end 13b, opposite the first end 13a, of said preloading means rests against an annular base 4b at the first end 4a of the second housing part 4. Advantageously, the spring installation space 15 available for the preloading means 13 can be varied by displacement of the stop part 14 along the longitudinal axis L on the outer circumference of the first guide tube 7 and fixed by subsequently welding it. In the embodiment example shown here, the spring installation space 15 is delimited by the annular base 4b of the second housing part and the stop part 14. More advantageously, this makes it possible to install shorter preloading means in the drive device, thus reducing the cost of production.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the drive device from FIG. 1 in the area of the stop part 14. In this view, it can be clearly seen that the stop part 14 is pushed with its cylindrical inner side 14a onto the outer side 7a of the first guide tube 7, so that the hollow cylindrical stop part 14 radially surrounds the first guide tube 7. It can further be seen that a cylindrical outer surface 14c of the stop part 14 is not in contact with the second housing part 4, so that when the first housing part 3 is axially displaced relative to the second housing part 4, there is no interference from the first stop part 14. It can also be seen that the flat first end 13a of the preloading means 13, which is designed as a coil spring, rests against the flat end face 14b of the first stop part 14 facing the preloading means 13, so that the first stop part 14 limits the spring tree 15 provided for the first preloading means 13 on one side.

[0032] The present disclosure has been explained above on the basis of an embodiment in which the stop part is annular or designed as a hollow cylinder and is made of plastics material. It is understood that the stop part can also be made of metal, in which case the tube to be connected to the stop part is also expediently made of metal and a connection is produced by contact welding, for example. It is further understood that the stop part may also be designed to be rectangular in cross-section, wherein in any case it must be possible for the stop part to be connected and axially secured to one of the first guide tube or also the second housing part to form a reliable stop for the preloading means.