DRIVE DEVICE FOR A VEHICLE FLAP

Abstract

A drive device for a vehicle flap, and includes a first actuator for opening and closing the vehicle flap. The first actuator has a first end. The drive device also includes a first connection element for connecting the first end of the first actuator to one of the vehicle door and the vehicle body, and a coupling device having at least one first coupling member for coupling the first connection element to the first actuator. The coupling device comprises a second coupling element which is displaceable relative to the first coupling element between a first end position and a second end position.

Claims

1. A drive device for a vehicle flap, comprising a first actuator for opening and closing the vehicle flap, the first actuator having a first end, a first connection element for connecting the first end of the first actuator to one of the vehicle flap and vehicle body, a coupling device having at least one first coupling element for coupling the first connection element to the first actuator, the coupling device comprising a second coupling element, which is displaceable relative to the first coupling element between a first end position and a second end position.

2. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling device comprises at least one first guide element with a guide portion, wherein the second coupling element is displaceable and guided along the guide portion.

3. The drive device according to claim 2, wherein the first guide element comprises a connecting portion for connection to the first coupling element.

4. The drive device according to claim 3, wherein a thread, in particular an external thread, is provided in the connecting portion.

5. The drive device according to claim 4, wherein the first coupling element comprises a mating thread, in particular an internal thread, which meshes with the thread of the connecting portion.

6. The drive device according to claim 5, wherein the mating thread of the first coupling element is provided in a through-bore.

7. The drive device according to claim 5, wherein the first guide element has a first end stop, which delimits the guide portion on one side and defines the second end position of the second coupling element relative to the first coupling element.

8. The drive device according to claim 7, wherein the first end stop is formed in one piece with the guide portion of the first guide element.

9. The drive device according to claim 7, wherein the second coupling element has a first stop face, which abuts against the first end stop of the first guide element in the second end position of the second coupling element.

10. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling element is connected to one of the first connection element and the first end of the first actuator.

11. The drive device according to claim 8, wherein the second coupling element is connected to the other of the first connection element and the first end of the first actuator.

12. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the second coupling element is designed as a hollow cylinder.

13. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the second coupling element has a fastening portion for connecting the second coupling element to the other of the first connection element and the first end of the first actuator.

14. The drive device according to claim 13, wherein the fastening portion preferably has a thread, in particular an internal thread.

15. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the second coupling element expediently bears against the first coupling element in the first end position.

16. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the first coupling element and the second coupling element are arranged concentrically about a common longitudinal axis.

17. The drive device according to claim 16, wherein the first coupling element and the second coupling element, at least in the first end position, are secured against rotation relative to one another with respect to a rotation about the common longitudinal axis.

18. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the coupling device preferably comprises a first sealing element.

19. The drive device according to claim 2, wherein the first guide element has a tool attachment.

20. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the first actuator comprises a biasing means which biases the second coupling element into the first end position.

Description

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] The present disclosure is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] FIG. 1 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a drive device in a normal state.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the drive device from FIG. 1.

[0035] FIG. 3 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of the drive device in a collision state.

[0036] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the drive device from FIG. 3.

[0037] FIG. 5 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a coupling device.

[0038] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view of the coupling device from FIG. 5.

[0039] FIG. 7 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a coupling device.

[0040] FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of the coupling device from FIG. 7.

[0041] FIG. 9 shows, in a perspective view, an exploded illustration of the coupling device from FIG. 5-FIG. 8.

[0042] FIG. 10 shows, in an enlarged perspective view, a first coupling element 14 from FIG. 9.

[0043] FIG. 11 shows, in an enlarged perspective view, a second coupling element 15 from FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] FIG. 1 shows, in a side view, an exemplary embodiment of a drive device 10 for a vehicle flap VF of a vehicle in a normal state N. The term normal state is understood here to mean that the vehicle flap VF is displaceable between an open position and a closed position by the drive device 10. In particular, in the normal state N, the vehicle flap VF is not deployed. The drive device 10 comprises an elongate first cylindrical actuator 11 which extends along a longitudinal axis A and has a housing 17 which has A first end 11a and an opposite second end 11b.

[0045] The housing 17 is designed as a telescopic housing 17 so that the distance between the first end 11a and the second end 11b of the first actuator 11 is variable. As a result, the vehicle flap VF can be driven between an open and closed position. In this case, the first actuator 11 is coupled at the first end 11a to a first connection element 12 a via a coupling device 13. Furthermore, the second end 11b of the first actuator 11 is directly coupled to a second connection element 12b. Furthermore, the first connection element 12a can be coupled articulatedly to the vehicle flap VF of the vehicle and the second connection element 12b of the first actuator 11 to the vehicle body VB of the vehicle. In this exemplary embodiment, the first connection element 12a and the second connection element 12b are designed as ball sockets. Both the vehicle flap VF and the vehicle body VB are shown as dotted lines in FIGS. 1 to 4 for the sake of clarity.

[0046] In FIG. 1, the drive device 10 is in a normal state N, in which pedestrian protection is not activated. In the normal state N, the vehicle flap VF is able to be opened or closed in a driven manner relative to the vehicle body VB by means of the drive device 10, for example for the servicing and maintenance of a motor and further peripheral devices.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view II-II of the drive device 10 from FIG. 1 along the longitudinal axis A of the drive device 10 in the normal state N. Individual components of the drive device 10 are now visible in a region between the first connection element 12a and the second connection element 12b. The coupling device 13 comprises a first coupling element 14, which is fixedly connected to the first connection element 12a via a threaded connection and is thus assigned thereto.

[0048] Furthermore, the coupling device 13 comprises a second coupling element 15, which is displaceably arranged relative to the first coupling element 14 along a guide element 16 designed as a bolt. In this case, the second coupling element 15 is connected via a threaded connection to the first end 11a of the first actuator 11, the guide element 16 being fixedly connected to the first coupling element 14 via a threaded connection. The second coupling element 15 of the coupling device 13 is thus assigned to the first actuator 11.

[0049] The first actuator 11 comprises a cylindrical and tubular, telescopic housing 17 with a first housing part 17a and with a second housing part 17b, a biasing means 18 designed as a coil spring being arranged in the housing 17 and biasing the housing parts 17a; 17b in the pull-out direction when the vehicle flap VF is closed. Furthermore, the biasing means 18 radially surrounds a guide tube 19 in which a spindle rod 20 with an external thread is rotatably arranged, the guide tube 19 being formed in one piece with the second housing part 17b.

[0050] A spindle nut 21 with an internal thread is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner in the guide tube 19, said spindle nut being in threaded engagement with the spindle rod 20, the guide tube 19, when the spindle rod 20 is rotated, being displaceable in a driven manner jointly with the second housing part 17a and the spindle nut 21 in a correspondingly linear manner relative to the first housing part 17a. As a result, a rotation of the spindle rod 20 causes a displacement of the guide tube 19 so that the second housing part 17b is linearly displaceable relative to the first housing part 17a telescopically, as a result of which a vehicle flap VF, which is connected articulatedly via the first connection element 12a, is displaceable in a driven manner in relation to a vehicle body VB, which is coupled articulatedly to the second end 11b of the first actuator 11, between an open and closed position.

[0051] Furthermore, the first actuator 11 comprises a motor 22, which is arranged in the housing 17 and is provided for driving the rotational movement of the spindle rod 20. A torque limiter 23 is arranged axially between the motor 22 and the spindle rod 20 and can bring about a decoupling between the motor 22 and the spindle rod 20 when a threshold value of the torque is exceeded between them. It is hereby advantageously ensured in particular that the vehicle flap VF is also movable manually or no damage to the first actuator 11 occurs in the event of external forces on the vehicle flap VF.

[0052] In this exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the guide tube 19 has an external thread 19a in a region of the first end 11a of the first actuator 11. The second coupling element 15 of the coupling device 13 is connected to this external thread 19a. Advantageously, the biasing means 18 biases the second coupling element 15 in the direction of the first coupling element 14 so that the second coupling element 15 is pretensioned in the normal state N of the vehicle into a first end position E1.

[0053] FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show the drive device 10 according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 in a collision state C. In the collision state C, a pedestrian protection of the vehicle has been activated, the vehicle flap VF having been suddenly moved into a deployed position by means of a second actuator, which is not shown here. Since the first actuator 11 is arranged between the vehicle flap VF and the vehicle body VB and, due to the deployed position of the vehicle flap VF enforced by the second actuator relative to the vehicle body VB, an axial force is generated in the pull-out direction between the first connection element 12a and the second connection element 12b. Due to this external axial force, the second coupling element 15 is displaced along a guide portion 16a of the guide element 16 from the first end position E1 into the second end position E2. Thus, the coupling device 13 can assume two different states, namely a first state, which is provided in the normal state N of the drive device 10, and a second state, which is provided in the collision state C of the drive device 10, in the second state the distance between the first connection element 12a and the second connection element 12b having been increased by a length X. This length corresponds to the clearance which is required so that a rapid state change of the drive device 10 from the normal state N into the collision state C is possible. It is important here that, in particular, it is avoided that a fast state change is hindered due to the internal inertia of the first actuator 11 or that also the first actuator is damaged due to the external forces occurring.

[0054] FIG. 5 shows the coupling device 13 in a disassembled state. The coupling device 13 is shown in the first state in which the second coupling element 15 is located in the first end position E1. In the first end position E1, the first coupling element 14 is directly in contact with the second coupling element 15 of the coupling device 13. Furthermore, FIG. 5 shows a first end stop 16d of the first guide element 16, which is designed as a bolt. The first end stop 16d is designed as a head of the bolt, which is arranged directly adjacent to the guide portion 16a of the first guide element 16.

[0055] FIG. 6 shows a sectional view IV-IV of the coupling device 13 of FIG. 5. The first connection element 12a has a threaded bore 25, in which the first coupling element 14 is screwed. For this purpose, the first coupling element 14 has an external thread 14d. On a side facing away from the first connection element 12a, the first coupling element 14 has a first end face 14a, on which a first projection 14b is formed.

[0056] The second coupling element 15 has a first counter end face 15a facing the first end face 14a, a first recess 15b being provided on the first counter end face 15a. The first projection 14b of the first coupling element 14 engages in the first recess 15b of the second coupling element 15 so that a rotational lock of the first coupling element 14 relative to the second coupling element 15 is hereby provided.

[0057] The second coupling element 15 is designed as a hollow cylinder, the second coupling element 15 having an internal thread 15c which is arranged facing away from the counter end side 15a and is provided for a connection with the first end 11a of the first actuator 11. In the first end position E1 of the second coupling element 15, the first end face 14a of the first coupling element 14 and the first counter end face 15a of the second coupling element 15 are biased towards each other by means of the biasing means 18 of the first actuator 11. Advantageously, the second coupling element 15 has a first stop face 15d, which can be brought into contact with a first end stop 16d of the first guide element 16.

[0058] The first guide element 16 has a total of three segments. The first segment is a connecting portion 16b which can be screwed into the threaded bore 14c of the first coupling element 14 via a thread 16cprovided in the connecting portion 16b, a screw-in depth of the connecting portion 16b of the first guide element 16 being limited by the guide portion 16a having a larger outer diameter than the connecting portion 16b. The second segment of the first guide element 16 is the guide portion 16a, along which the second coupling element 15 can be displaced in a controlled manner. The third segment of the first guide element 16 is the first end stop 16d, in the region of which a tool attachment 16e is arranged. The tool attachment 16e has a depression with a hexagon profile (hexagon socket). The tool attachment 16e makes it easier for the first guide element 16 to be screwed into and out of the first coupling element 14.

[0059] Furthermore, FIG. 6 shows a first sealing element 24, which is designed as an O-Ring and is produced in particular from a plastics material. The sealing element 24 is arranged bearing flat against the first end face 14a of the first coupling element 14.

[0060] FIG. 7 shows the coupling device 13 from FIG. 3. The coupling device 13 is shown in the second state, which corresponds to an activated pedestrian protection, in which the vehicle flap VF is raised relative to the vehicle body VB. The second coupling element 15 has been displaced by a distance with the length X away from the first coupling element 14 into the second end position E2. Furthermore, an insertion bevel of the second coupling element 15 is now visible and allows a displacement of the 15e second coupling element 15 back into the first end position E1 without jamming and without canting.

[0061] FIG. 8 shows a sectional view VIII-VIII of the coupling device 13 of FIG. 7. As described above, the second coupling element 15 has now been displaced by the distance of the length X with respect to the first coupling element 14. In the second end position E2, the second coupling element 15 abuts against the first end stop 16d of the first guide element 16 with the stop face 15d so that a further displacement of the second coupling element 15 in a direction away from the first coupling element 14 is not possible. As a result, the first end stop 16dof the first guide element 16 defines the possible length X of the displaceable path of the second coupling element 15.

[0062] FIG. 9 shows the first connection element 12a and the individual components of the coupling device 13 in an exploded view. For mounting the individual components, first the first coupling element 14 with the external thread 14dis screwed into the first connection element 12a up to a stop. The first sealing element 24 is then inserted flat into the first coupling element 14 at the end face and the second coupling element 15 is inserted into the first coupling element 14 so that the first end face 14a of the first coupling element 14, which is hidden here, and the first counter end face 15a of the second coupling element 15 lie on top of one another.

[0063] In a further step, the first guide element 16 is guided through an opening in the second coupling element 15 and then the thread 16c of the connecting portion 16b of the first guide element 16 is screwed into the threaded bore 14c of the first coupling element 14. As a result, the second coupling element 15 is now displaceable along the guide portion 16a of the first guide element 16. The external thread 19a of the first actuator 11 shown in FIG. 2 can finally be coupled to the internal thread 15c, that is covered here, of the second coupling element 15. In the exemplary embodiment present here, the second coupling element 15 is screwed to the guide tube 19 of the first actuator. In order to ensure particularly stable and long-lasting screw connections, all threaded portions of the coupling device 13 can be coated with a threaded adhesive before assembly.

[0064] FIG. 10 shows, in an enlarged perspective view, the first coupling element 14. It can be clearly seen in this view that the first end face 14a of the first coupling element 14 has, by way of example, multiple projections 14b which are arranged along a perforated circle.

[0065] FIG. 11 shows, in an enlarged perspective view, the second coupling element 15. It can be clearly seen in this view that the first counter end face 15a of the second coupling element 15 has, by way of example, multiple recesses 15b, which are arranged along a perforated circle.

[0066] The first coupling element 14 and the second coupling element 15 can be connected to one another in a rotationally fixed manner via the projections 14b and recesses 15b, respectively, so that a form-fitting and slip-free rotational lock in the first end position E1 of the second coupling element 15 is always ensured.

[0067] The mode of operation of the exemplary embodiment of the drive device 10 shown here will now be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 and 4: In the normal state N of the drive device 10 shown in FIG. 2, the drive device 10 serves to open and close the vehicle flap VF by a user. In the normal state N, the coupling device 13 is always in the first state, in which the second coupling element 15 is arranged in the first end position E1.

[0068] In the event of a collision of the vehicle with, for example, a pedestrian, certain sensors of the vehicle activate a second pyrotechnic actuator, which is not shown here. As a result of the activation of the second pyrotechnic actuator, the vehicle flap VF is raised suddenly by a defined path, so that the drive device 10 is now located in the collision state C shown in FIG. 4.

[0069] For this direct lifting to be carried out without disruptive effects, the drive device 10 has the coupling device 13 with the displaceable coupling element 15. In the collision state C of the drive device 10, the second coupling element 15 has been moved into the second end position E2 so that the distance between the first connection element 12a and the second connection element 12b has been increased suddenly. In this case, the second coupling element 15 is connected to the first end 11a of the first actuator 11 of the drive device 10.

[0070] The second coupling element 15, which is coupled only via a plug connection to the first coupling element 14, has been pulled out of the first coupling element 14 and displaced by the distance of length X until the second coupling element 15 abuts with its first stop face 15d against the first end stop 16d of the first guide element 16 into the second end position E2.

[0071] Because the first actuator 11 comprises a biasing means 18 designed as a coil spring, which permanently biases the second coupling element 15 towards the first coupling element 14, the biasing means 18 moves the second coupling element 15 back from the second end position E2 into the first end position E1. Lastly, the change in length of the first actuator 11 required by the deployment movement of the vehicle flap VF is hereby carried out subsequently to the deployment movement, while the deployment movement is not prevented by the inertia of the first actuator 11. The displaceable second coupling element 15 makes it possible, namely, for the distance between the first connection element 14 and the second connection element 15 to be able to be increased quickly by the clearance of the length X without greater counterforce.

[0072] The present disclosure has been explained above with reference to an exemplary embodiment in which the second coupling element 15 is coupled via a threaded connection to the guide tube 19; 19a of the first actuator 11 and the first coupling element 14 is coupled to the first connection element 12a via a threaded connection. It is understood that, conversely, the second coupling element 15 can also be coupled to the first connection element 12a and the first coupling element 14 to the guide tube 19; 19a of the first actuator 11. In the case of the present disclosure, it is necessary for the second coupling element 15 to be displaceable relative to the first coupling element 14, so that the distance between the first connection element 12a and the first actuator 11 is variable by the displacement.