Vehicle with a device for manually and/or electromotively adjusting a vehicle door relative to a vehicle body

Abstract

A vehicle door arranged on a vehicle body and a device for manually and/or electromotively adjusting the vehicle door relative to the vehicle body including an output element moved on adjustment of the vehicle door and a switching device configured to switch between a coupling state and a freewheeling state, and a control device. The switching device configured to couple the output element to a further assembly in the coupling state and to disengage it from the further assembly in the freewheeling state such that the output element is movable with respect to the further assembly. At least one sensor device configured to detect a signal indicating an occupant's wish to get out of the vehicle, and configured to evaluate the signal for detecting an exit wish and actuate the switching device to switch into the coupling state.

Claims

1. A vehicle including a vehicle body, the vehicle comprising: a vehicle door adjustably arranged on the vehicle body; a device configured to perform at least one of manually move the vehicle door relative to the vehicle body and electromotively move the vehicle door relative to the vehicle body; a number of sensors configured to detect a signal indicative of a vehicle occupant's wish to exit the vehicle; and a control device configured to, responsive to the vehicle door being in a first position in which the door is in an open position, and receiving the signal from the number of sensors, evaluate the signal and actuate the device to hold the vehicle door in the first position.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the number of sensors include a capacitive sensor.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein a first sensor of the number of sensors is disposed on a body portion of the vehicle body and is configured to detect an approach by the vehicle occupant towards the body portion or a touch by the vehicle occupant of the body portion.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the signal is based on the approach or to the touch of the body portion.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein a second sensor of the number of sensors is disposed on a portion of the vehicle door and is configured to detect an approach by the vehicle occupant towards the portion of the vehicle door or a touch by the vehicle occupant of the portion of the vehicle door.

6. The vehicle of claim 5, wherein the portion of the vehicle door is a door handle and wherein the signal is based on the approach towards the door handle or the touch of the door handle.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the number of sensors are either disposed on the vehicle door or on a vehicle seat, wherein the control device is further configured to evaluate the signal based on a pattern recognition.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the control device is further configured to evaluate the signal by using an algorithm based on artificial intelligence.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the number of sensors include an interior monitoring system configured to detect at least one of a gesture and a position of the vehicle occupant.

10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the interior monitoring system includes a radar system, a lidar system, an ultrasonic sensor or a pyroelectric sensor.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising: an operating unit configured to be operated by the vehicle occupant so that the control device is selectively operable or inoperable.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the device includes an electromotive driving device configured to move the vehicle door.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the device includes, an output element configured to move relative to the vehicle body as the vehicle door moves, and a switching device configured to be switched between a coupling state, to couple the output element to an assembly, and a freewheeling state to disengage the output element from the assembly so that the output element is movable relative to the assembly, wherein the control device is further configured switch the switching device to the coupling state in response to receiving and evaluating the signal.

14. The vehicle of claim 13, wherein the switching device includes, a switching element, wherein the switching element is adjustable to switch the switching device between the coupling state and the freewheeling state, and an actuating drive configured to adjust the switching element, wherein the control device is configured to control the actuating drive.

15. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the switching device includes, a brake pot, an adjusting element configured to adjust the switching element, and a carrier, wherein the brake pot is configured to rotate with respect to the carrier, wherein the adjusting element and the switching element are disposed on the carrier and are configured to be adjusted with respect the carrier.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the adjusting element is configured to pivot about a pivot axis defined by the carrier.

17. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein when the switching element is in the coupling state, the switching element contacts the brake pot such that the brake pot is fixed with respect to the carrier, and when the switching element is in the freewheeling state, the switching element is disengaged from the brake pot such that the brake pot is movable with respect to the carrier.

18. The vehicle of claim 14, wherein the switching device includes a spindle gear unit provided with a spindle and a spindle nut threaded to the spindle, wherein the spindle and spindle nut are movable relative to each other to adjust the switching element.

19. A vehicle access system for use in a vehicle including a vehicle body and a vehicle door, the vehicle access system comprising: a door drive configured to move the vehicle door between a closed position, an intermediate position, and an open position; a number of sensors configured to detect a signal indicative of a vehicle occupant's wish to exit the vehicle; and a controller configured to, responsive to the door being in the intermediate position and receiving the signal from the number of sensors, command the door drive to fix the vehicle door in the intermediate position to permit the vehicle occupant to grasp the vehicle door as the vehicle occupant exits the vehicle.

20. A vehicle including a vehicle body, the vehicle comprising: a vehicle door adjustably arranged on the vehicle body; a device configured to perform at least one of manually move the vehicle door relative to the vehicle body and electromotively move the vehicle door relative to the vehicle body, wherein the device includes, an output element configured to move relative to the vehicle body as the vehicle door moves, and a switching device configured to be switched between a coupling state, to couple the output element to an assembly, and a freewheeling state to disengage the output element from the assembly so that the output element is movable relative to the assembly; a number of sensors configured to detect a signal indicative of a vehicle occupant's wish to exit the vehicle; and a control device configured to, responsive to the vehicle door being in a first position and receiving the signal from the number of sensors, evaluate the signal and actuate the device to hold the vehicle door in the first position, wherein the control device is further configured switch the switching device to the coupling state in response to receiving and evaluating the signal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The idea underlying the invention will be explained in detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the Figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a vehicle door on a vehicle body, comprising an adjustable part in the form of a catch strap which is articulated to the vehicle body and which on pivoting of the vehicle door is moved relative to the vehicle body;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a view of an exemplary embodiment of a device for adjusting and fixing a vehicle door;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a view of the drive train of the device;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a view of an assembly of the device comprising an adjustable part, a traction cable arranged on the adjustable part and a cable drum connected to the traction cable;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a separate view of the cable drum;

(7) FIG. 6 shows a separate view of the cable drum with a traction cable arranged thereon;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a view of a switching device for switching the transmission;

(9) FIG. 8A shows a view of the switching device, in a coupling state;

(10) FIG. 8B shows a view of the switching device, in a braking state;

(11) FIG. 8C shows a view of the switching device, in a freewheeling state;

(12) FIG. 9 shows a view of the switching device from below without the carrier element;

(13) FIG. 10 shows a separate view of a spindle gear unit of the switching device, comprising a spindle to be driven via an actuating drive and a spindle nut in threaded engagement with the spindle;

(14) FIG. 11 shows a schematic view of a vehicle comprising a vehicle door and sensor devices in order to detect an exit wish of a vehicle occupant in cooperation with a control device; and

(15) FIG. 12 shows a schematic view of a vehicle comprising a vehicle door and a sensor device in the form of an interior monitoring system for detecting an exit wish of a vehicle occupant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(16) As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.

(17) A door driving device known from DE 10 2015 215 627 A1 includes a switching device which serves to switchably connect an output element in the form of a cable drum to a driving device so that a vehicle door can be moved relative to the vehicle body by introducing force into the output element. For an operative connection between the driving device and the output element the switching device is switched into a coupling state. To manually adjust the vehicle door independent of the driving device, the switching device can be switched into a freewheeling state in which the operative connection between the output element and the driving device is eliminated so that the vehicle door can be freely adjusted by a user.

(18) Getting out of a vehicle can be cumbersome, depending also on the type of construction of the vehicle. In particular in vehicles with a flat chassis, it is therefore desirable to make it as easy as possible for a passenger to get out of the vehicle.

(19) Frequently, a vehicle occupant who wants to get out of a vehicle intuitively grasps an inner door handle of an open vehicle door in order to use the door handle as an exit aid. However, because the vehicle door usually is not fixed sufficiently, the door handle conventionally is unsuitable as a pulling aid.

(20) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a vehicle 1 comprising a vehicle body 10 and a vehicle door 11 articulated to the vehicle body 10 about a door hinge 111, which can be pivoted relative to the vehicle body 10 along an opening direction O in order to open or close a door opening.

(21) What acts between the vehicle body 10 and the vehicle door 11 is a device 2 which includes an adjustable part 21 in the form of a catch strap and serves for fixing and/or adjusting the vehicle door 11 relative to the vehicle body 10. The adjustable part 21 in the form of the catch strap is articulated to the vehicle body 10, for example to the A-pillar of the vehicle 1, about a joint 20 and on pivoting of the vehicle door 11 moves relative to the vehicle door 11. With one end 211 the adjustable part 21 therefor protrudes into a door inner space 110 of the vehicle door 11 and on adjustment of the vehicle door 11 moves in this door inner space 110.

(22) Perspective views of an exemplary embodiment of a device 2 of this type are shown in FIGS. 2 to 6. The adjustable part 21 in the form of the catch strap carries a joint 20 at one end 210, which joint can be fixed to the vehicle body 10, for example to the A-pillar of the vehicle 1, in order to articulate the adjustable part 21 to the vehicle body 10 in this way.

(23) With its end 211 facing away from the end 210, the adjustable part 21 extends into the door inner space 110 of the vehicle door 11. The adjustable part 21 is operatively connected to the vehicle door 11 in order to fix the vehicle door 11 in an assumed adjustment position relative to the vehicle body 10 and/or to enable an electromotive or manual adjustment of the vehicle door 11 relative to the vehicle body 10.

(24) An exemplary construction of an assembly of this device 2 which establishes the operative connection between the vehicle door 11 and the vehicle body 10 is shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.

(25) A flexible force transmission element transmitting tensile forces in the form of a traction cable 22, for example a steel or plastic cable, is arranged on the adjustable part 21. The traction cable 22 has two different, separately formed portions 22A, 22B, which are connected to the adjustable part 21 on the one hand and to an output element in the form of a cable drum 24 on the other hand.

(26) The portions 22A, 22B extend along a running surface 215 of the adjustable part 21 and are partially wound on the cable drum 24. The first portion 22A of the traction cable 22 extends between a fastening device 212 of the adjustable part 21 and the cable drum 24 and is positively inserted into the fastening device 212 with a cable nipple 223 at one end of the cable, which fastening device is designed as a nipple chamber. The other, second portion 22B extends between the cable drum 24 and an adjusting device 23, which serves to adjust the freely extended length of the traction cable 22 at the adjustable part 21.

(27) The cable drum 24 is arranged on a shaft 34 extending longitudinally along a longitudinal axis L and is rotatable around the longitudinal axis L. As can be taken from the separate view in FIG. 5, the cable drum 24 includes a cable groove 241 extending around the cable drum 24 in the manner of a thread groove, in which the portions 22A, 22B are inserted. This cable groove 241 is bounded on both sides by raceways 242, 243, with which the cable drum 24 abuts against the running surface 215 of the adjustable part 21 in such a way that when the cable drum 24 is rotated around the longitudinal axis L, the cable drum 24 rolls on the running surface 215 of the adjustable part 21.

(28) When the cable drum 24 is rotated around the longitudinal axis L, one of the portions 22A, 22B (depending on the direction of rotation) is wound on the cable drum 24, while the other portion 22B, 22A is unwound from the cable drum 24. The traction cable 22 does not change its extension length on the adjustable part 21. Rather, the rotation of the cable drum 24 leads to an adjustment of the adjustable part 21 along an adjustment direction V relative to the cable drum 24 so that by driving the cable drum 24 the adjustable part 21 and hence the vehicle door 11 can be moved. Alternatively, the cable drum 24 can also be used to provide a braking effect—in the case of a manual adjustment of the prefabricated parts 10, 11 relative to each other—in order to fix the vehicle door 11 in a position just taken or to influence the adjusting movement by braking during the adjustment.

(29) The cable drum 24 is positively and hence non-rotatably connected to the shaft 34. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the shaft 34 is part of a transmission 30, which can be used to act on the cable drum 24 for adjusting or fixing purposes. The cable drum 24 is enclosed in a cable drum housing 380 which is firmly connected to a housing 38 of the device 2. The cable drum housing 380 rotatably supports the cable drum 24 and also serves for the defined guidance of the cable drum 24 relative to the adjustable part 21.

(30) The cable drum 24 is coupled to a driving device 3 which includes the transmission 30 and is designed in such a way that the vehicle door 1 can electromotively be adjusted by means of the driving device 3 or manually independently of the driving device 3 or also in the manner of a servomotor electromotively supported by the driving device 3. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the transmission 30 is designed as a single-stage planetary gear unit and includes a planetary gear stage 32 comprising planetary gears 321, which are arranged on a carrier element 320 non-rotatably connected to the shaft 34 so as to be rotatable about axes of rotation 322 and are in meshing engagement with an internal toothing 312 on a ring gear 31.

(31) The planetary gears 321 are axially rotatably mounted between two carrier elements 320, of which only a lower carrier element 320 is shown in FIG. 3. The carrier for the planetary gears 321 is thus formed by two carrier elements 320, between which the planetary gears 321 are rotatably arranged.

(32) The planetary gears 321 mesh with a sun gear 326, which is arranged on a hollow shaft 327. The hollow shaft 327 is arranged on the shaft 34 so that it rotates freely and forms a spur gear 328 which meshes with a drive worm 371 on a motor shaft 37 driven by a drive motor 370. The hollow shaft 327 may be formed integrally with the sun gear 326 molded thereto and the spur gear 328. In principle, however, a multi-part design is also conceivable and possible.

(33) The ring gear 31 forms the internal toothing 312 for meshing with the planetary gears 321. The ring gear 31 here is rotatably mounted on the shaft 34 via a bearing portion 318 in the form of a bearing bush and forms a brake pot 42 at an axial end facing away from the internal toothing 312, in which switching elements 430, 431 of a switching device 4 are arranged, which—driven by an actuating drive 40—are adjustable between different states.

(34) The switching device 4 shown in FIGS. 7 to 10 in an exemplary embodiment is configured in the manner of a drum brake and is shown in different functional states in FIGS. 8A to 8C. The switching elements 430, 431 in the form of brake shoes with brake linings 434 arranged thereon are arranged on a carrier 41 formed by a housing part, which is stationarily arranged relative to the housing 38. The brake shoes 430, 431 are arranged on the carrier 41 so as to be pivotable about a fixed bearing 432 (see for example FIGS. 7 and 8A-8C) and can be adjusted for switching the transmission 30 between different positions.

(35) For adjusting the switching elements 430, 431 in the form of the brake shoes, an adjusting element 44 in the form of a cam is provided, which is pivotally arranged on the carrier 41 and connected to a lever 405 and can be adjusted via an actuating drive in the form of a spindle gear unit.

(36) The actuating drive in the form of the spindle gear unit includes a spindle 402 and a spindle nut 404 in threaded engagement with the spindle 402, which are movable relative to each other.

(37) At each of its axial ends, the spindle 402 is rotatably mounted relative to the carrier 41, which is part of the housing 38 of the driving device 3, via a crowned spherical bearing 403 and carries a pinion 401 at an end associated to an actuating drive 40 in the form of an electric motor, which pinion is configured as a worm gear with a circumferential helical toothing and is in meshing engagement with a drive worm 400 firmly arranged on a drive shaft of the actuating drive 40.

(38) The spindle nut 404, on the other hand, is guided via a guide portion 406 longitudinally along a direction of movement A to the carrier 41 and, for this purpose, slides via the guide portion 406 comprising a guideway 411 into contact with the carrier 41. A second guideway is formed on a housing half not shown in FIGS. 7 and 8A-8C, which is to be attached to the carrier 41, so that the spindle nut 404 is fixed in its rotational position relative to the bracket 41, but is slidingly guided along the direction of movement A.

(39) The spindle nut 404 is coupled with a lever 405, on which the adjusting element 44 is rigidly arranged. As can be taken from FIGS. 9 and 10, the spindle nut 404 for coupling with the lever 405 includes a coupling device in the form of an oblong hole 407 into which a coupling element in the form of a pin 408 on the lever 405 engages in such a way that a change in position of the pin 408 relative to the spindle nut 404 can be compensated during a longitudinal movement of the spindle nut 404 along the spindle 402.

(40) To adjust the switching elements 430, 431, the actuating drive 40 drives the drive worm 400, which thereby puts the pinion 401 and thus the spindle 402 into a rotary movement. The spindle nut 404—due to its threaded engagement with the spindle 402—thereby is adjusted longitudinally along the direction of movement A to spindle 402, and the lever 405, which can be pivoted about the pivot axis D of the actuating element 44, thus is pivoted along the direction of adjustment S, and hence the actuating element 44 is also pivoted about the pivot axis D.

(41) The switching device 4 can be used to switch the transmission 30 between a coupling state, a braking state and a freewheeling state.

(42) In the freewheeling state (FIG. 8A) the brake shoes 430, 431 are in a freewheeling position and are correspondingly (slightly) disposed at a distance from the brake pot 42 so that the brake pot 42 is not fixed with respect to the housing 38 and no (significant) braking effect is produced by the brake shoes 430, 431. In this freewheeling state, the cable drum 24 in principle can be moved independently of the drive motor 370 without the drive motor 370 being moved along with an output-side movement of the cable drum 24. In this freewheeling state, such as a smooth, manual adjustment of the vehicle door 11 is possible independently of the drive motor 370.

(43) From the freewheeling state, the switching device 4 can be adjusted in that the spindle nut 404 is moved by rotating the spindle 402 in a corresponding direction of rotation, and the adjusting element 44 thereby is pivoted for expanding the switching elements 403, 4031 relative to each other, as can be seen in FIG. 8B. In a braking state, the brake shoes 430, 431 are urged against the inside of the brake pot 42 with a reduced force—as compared to the coupling state —, so that the ring gear 31 is not blocked, but (merely) braked in a defined way. Thus, the ring gear 31 can rotate relative to the carrier 41, but is braked by the frictional abutment of the brake shoes 430, 431 with the brake pot 42.

(44) Such a braking effect can be used to brake the movement of the vehicle door 11, for example, when the vehicle door 11 approaches an end position, such as the maximally open position, during manual adjustment. A defined braking operation can also be used to brake a movement that is too fast, for example, when the vehicle door 11 is slammed shut manually.

(45) In the braking state, the switching elements 430, 431 slidingly and thus brakingly rest against the inside of an associated braking surface 420 of the brake pot 42 (see FIG. 3) so that a braking effect is provided. By further adjusting the spindle nut 404 in the direction of movement A, the adjusting element 44 is further rotated about its pivot axis D, as this is shown in FIG. 8C, so that the switching elements 430, 431 are pressed into abutment with the brake pot 42 and thereby are frictionally fixed to the brake pot 42. The switching device 4 thus reaches the coupling state in which the brake pot 42 is held stationary relative to the carrier 41.

(46) In the coupling state (FIG. 8C) the brake pot 42 is blocked relative to the housing 38 by the blocking effect of the brake shoes 430, 431, so that the ring gear 31 is fixed relative to the housing 38. In this coupling state, a flux of force is established between the hollow shaft 327 and the cable drum 24 so that the drive motor 370 is coupled to the cable drum 24 via the transmission 30 and the cable drum 24 can be adjusted electromotively.

(47) As shown in FIGS. 8A to 8C, the brake shoes 430, 431 are pretensioned in the direction of their freewheeling position (FIG. 8C) via pretensioning elements 433 in the form of tension springs. To adjust the brake shoes 430, 431 from the freewheeling position, the adjusting element 44 pushes the brake shoes 430, 431 apart and thus in the direction of the brake pot 42. This is effected against the action of the pretensioning elements 433. To return the brake shoes 430, 431 in the direction of the freewheeling position, the adjusting element 44 is pivoted back, and the brake shoes 430, 431 follow the adjusting element 44 due to the action of the pretensioning elements 433 and thus move back in the direction of their freewheeling position.

(48) The adjusting element 44 is formed by a cam which is located between the ends of the switching elements 430, 431 facing away from the fixed bearing 432 and is shaped in such a way that by pivoting the adjusting element 44 about a pivot axis D the switching elements 430, 431 can be pivoted for radial expansion or contraction.

(49) FIG. 11 shows a schematic view of a vehicle 1 in which a vehicle side door 11 can be adjusted relative to a vehicle body 10 by means of a device 2, for example, designed in the manner described above.

(50) In the case of a vehicle 1, depending for example on the height of the chassis of the vehicle 1, it can be cumbersome for a passenger to get out, such as when the passenger is physically restricted. For this reason, it is desirable to provide a vehicle occupant with an exit aid in the form of a handle which enables the vehicle occupant to easily get out of the vehicle 1.

(51) For example, a vehicle occupant can intuitively and reflexively grasp an inner door handle 112 of the vehicle door 11 when getting out, in order to use the door handle 112 as an exit aid. A normal procedure is for a vehicle occupant to unlock the vehicle door 11 from the inside and open it manually, in order to then get out of the vehicle 1 while continuing to grasp the door handle 112.

(52) In order to enable the vehicle occupant to pull the door handle 112 and thus assist him/her to get out of the vehicle, it is provided here to fix the vehicle door 11 via the device 2 depending on a detection of an exit wish of a vehicle occupant, so that the vehicle door 11 cannot move when the vehicle occupant pulls the door handle 112.

(53) In the exemplary embodiment as shown in FIG. 11, sensor devices 50, 51 are arranged on the one hand on a body portion 100 of the vehicle body 10, for example in the region of the B-pillar of the vehicle body 10, and on the other hand on the door handle 112 in order to detect by means of the sensor devices 50, 51 whether a vehicle occupant touches the body portion 100 and/or the door handle 112. The sensor devices 50, 51 for example can include capacitive sensors by means of which an approach of a body part, for example a hand, of the vehicle occupant to the body portion 100 or the door handle 112 can be detected, so that sensor signals are generated which can be evaluated by the control device 5 in order to infer an exit wish of the vehicle occupant by means of the evaluation.

(54) For example, the control device 5 can be configured to infer such an exit wish when a vehicle occupant grasps the body portion 100 and the door handle 112 at the same time. When this is the case, it is concluded that the occupant tries to pull out of the vehicle 1, whereupon the control device 5 actuates the device 2 in order to fix the vehicle door 11 in an open position just taken.

(55) When an exit wish is detected, the control device 5 actuates the switching device 4 of the device 2 in order to transfer the switching device 4 into its coupling state. In this coupling state, the driving device 3 arranged on the vehicle door 11 is coupled to the vehicle body 10 via the output element 24 in the form of the cable drum and the adjustable part 21, so that a power transmission line exists between the vehicle door 11 and the vehicle body 10. When the driving device 3 is not energized and moreover is designed to be self-locking, the vehicle door 11 thereby is fixed with respect to the vehicle body 10.

(56) Such a control function for providing an exit aid can be switched on or off by the vehicle occupant via an operating unit 53 arranged, for example, on a center console of the vehicle 1. When a vehicle occupant does not wish to be assisted by adjusting the vehicle door 11 when getting out, he or she can switch off the control function by means of the operating unit 53.

(57) In another exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 12 a sensor device 52 in the form of an interior monitoring system using for example a radar system or a lidar system is arranged in the vehicle 1 and cooperates with the control device 5. The sensor device 52 in the form of the interior monitoring system can, for example, detect a position, a body posture or a gesture of a vehicle occupant I in order to infer from such detection whether the vehicle occupant I is about to get out of the vehicle 1. Depending on such a detection, the device 2 in turn is actuated in order to fix the vehicle door 11.

(58) For example, when it is detected by means of the sensor device 52 in the form of the interior monitoring system that the vehicle occupant I is swinging his legs out of the vehicle 1 with the vehicle door 11 open, it can be inferred therefrom that the vehicle occupant I is about to get out. In this case, the control device 5 actuates the switching device 4 of the device 2 to switch into the coupling state so that the vehicle door 11 is fixed with respect to the vehicle body 10.

(59) Again, there is provided an operating unit 53 by means of which this control function can selectively be switched on or off by a vehicle occupant I.

(60) The system of the sensor devices 50, 51 in the exemplary embodiment as shown in FIG. 11 and of the sensor device 52 in the exemplary embodiment as shown in FIG. 12 can be designed to be self-learning, so that in an intelligent way (for example by using artificial intelligence) a common procedure of a vehicle occupant when getting out of the vehicle can be evaluated and be used for control purposes. For example, when it is detected that a vehicle occupant in the exemplary embodiment as shown in FIG. 11 typically touches the sensor devices 50, 51 in a certain sequence when he is about to get out of the vehicle 1, this can be used for a future evaluation.

(61) In addition or alternatively, other sensors in the vehicle, for example on a vehicle seat or on the vehicle door 11, can also be used and their sensor signals can be evaluated in order to detect an exit wish and, depending on such detection of an exit wish, to actuate the switching device 4 to fix the vehicle door 11.

(62) For example, sensor signals of sensors arranged on the vehicle door 11 can be used, for example of a sensor device 25 for detecting the position and speed of movement of the shaft 34 of the device 2 (see FIG. 3). The sensor device 25 includes a spur gear 250 arranged on the shaft 34, which meshes with a spur gear 251 and rotates the same during the rotary movement of the shaft 34. The spur gear 251 is non-rotatably connected to a disk gear 252, which is thus also rotated, and a sensor 253 is designed to detect the (absolute) rotary position of the disk gear 252, which is designed as a magnetic disk for example.

(63) Other sensors can be present, for example, to monitor the motor current of motor the 370. In addition, Hall sensors 372 (see FIG. 3) can be present, for example, which detect the relative movement of the motor shaft 37. Sensors other than angular velocity sensors, acceleration sensors or also force sensors in turn can be present on the vehicle door 11 or on a component associated with the vehicle door 11, by means of which a movement on the vehicle door 11 or on an assembly associated with the vehicle door 11 is detected.

(64) The sensor signals of such sensors—present anyway—can be evaluated, for example, in order to infer an exit wish by means of a pattern recognition in one or more sensor signals. Such pattern recognition can be effected, for example, by using artificial intelligence, and/or classical algorithms, for example filter algorithms (e.g. a Kalman filter) or a fuzzy logic algorithm, can be used additionally or alternatively.

(65) In addition or alternatively, sensors on other vehicle assemblies, for example on the vehicle seat, can also be included in order to infer an exit wish on the basis of sensor signals of such sensors. For example, sensors on a vehicle seat can indicate that a vehicle occupant is about to get out of a vehicle, for example by moving one or both legs out of the vehicle. For example, when a vehicle occupant remains seated on the vehicle seat with one or both legs outside the vehicle for a certain minimum period of time, this can be detected as an exit wish by means of sensors on the seating surface or on the backrest of the vehicle seat, and correspondingly the switching device 4 for fixing the vehicle door 11 can be used to provide a support function.

(66) A switch can also be mounted on the vehicle 1, for example in the region of the vehicle door 11, in the region of the vehicle body 10 around the vehicle door 11, or also in the region of a dashboard of the vehicle 1. The user can operate such a switch when the vehicle door 11 is to be fixed to support the exit. The switch can also be operated by the user when the vehicle door 11 is to be released again from the fixed position, for example to initiate a closing operation of the vehicle door 11.

(67) Switching the support function on and off by fixing the vehicle door 11 can also be triggered by a remote control unit, a mobile phone or another smart device.

(68) When an exit wish is detected, other assemblies of the vehicle 1 can also be actuated. For example, the vehicle seat 11 can be moved back or swivelled (about a vertical axis) or deformed in such a way that a user is assisted in getting out of the vehicle.

(69) When the device 2 is switched to the support mode and the vehicle door 11 is fixed correspondingly, this can for example acoustically or optically be indicated to the vehicle occupant via a display device.

(70) The idea underlying the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above, but can also be realized in principle in a completely different way.

(71) A door drive for adjusting the vehicle door in principle can be designed completely different from the exemplary embodiment as shown in FIGS. 1 to 10.

(72) For example, to produce a power transmission line between the vehicle door and the vehicle body, it is also possible to use transmission parts other than a cable drum and an adjustable part in the form of a catch strap coupled to the cable drum via a traction element in the form of a cable. For example, the driving device can also be configured as a spindle drive.

(73) Other drive concepts can also be used. Thus, a switching device need not necessarily be provided. It is conceivable, for example, to permanently couple an electromotive drive to a power transmission line, and/or an additional brake for braking a transmission element can possibly be provided in the power transmission line in order to cause the vehicle door to be fixed in a position just taken by means of the brake. However, such a brake possibly can also be omitted in that for fixing the vehicle door the driving device also is actuated in such a way that a holding torque for holding the vehicle door and for counteracting applied load forces is electromotively provided at the driving device.

(74) The following is a list of reference numbers shown in the Figures. However, it should be understood that the use of these terms is for illustrative purposes only with respect to one embodiment. And, use of reference numbers correlating a certain term that is both illustrated in the Figures and present in the claims is not intended to limit the claims to only cover the illustrated embodiment.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(75) 1 vehicle 10 body 100 body portion (B-pillar) 11 vehicle door 110 door inner space 111 door hinge 112 door handle 2 device 20 joint 21 adjustable part (catch strap) 210, 211 end 212 fastening device 213 opening 214 guideway 215 running surface 22 flexible power transmission element (traction cable) 22A, 22B cable portion 223 cable nipple 23 adjusting device 24 cable drum 240 opening 241 cable groove 242, 243 raceway 25 sensor device 250, 251 spur gear 252 disk wheel 253 sensor 3 driving device 30 transmission 31 internal gear 312 internal toothing 318 bearing portion 32 planetary gear stage 320 carrier element 321 planetary gears 322 axis of rotation 326 sun gear 327 hollow shaft 328 spur gear 34 shaft 37 motor shaft 370 drive motor 371 drive worm 372 Hall sensors 38 housing 380 cable drum housing 4 switching device 40 actuating drive 400 drive worm 401 pinion 402 transmission element (spindle) 403 spherical bearing 404 transmission element (spindle nut) 405 lever 406 guide portion 407 coupling device 408 coupling element 409 motor shaft 41 carrier 411 guideway 42 brake pot 420 braking surface 430, 431 switching elements (brake shoes) 432 fixed bearing 433 tension springs 434 brake lining 44 adjustable element 5 control device 50-52 sensor device 53 operating unit A direction of movement D pivot axis I vehicle occupant L longitudinal axis O opening direction S actuating direction V direction of adjustment

(76) While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.