Eccentric adjuster for adjusting a connecting point for a link of a hub carrier, and hub carrier comprising the eccentric adjuster

Abstract

An eccentric adjusting unit is disclosed, for example, for adjusting a connection point for a control arm of a wheel suspension. The unit may include an electric motor and an eccentric gear section. The eccentric gear section may have an input shaft and an output shaft, wherein the input shaft is configured to be driven by the electric motor and the output shaft rotates eccentrically with respect to an output axis of rotation and can be in operative connection with the connection point or forms this connection point. The eccentric gear section may have a star wheel gear stage.

Claims

1. An eccentric adjusting unit for adjusting a connection point for a control arm of a wheel suspension, comprising: an electric motor; and an eccentric gear section, wherein the eccentric gear section has an input shaft and an output shaft, wherein the input shaft is configured to be driven by the electric motor and wherein the output shaft rotates eccentrically with respect to an output axis of rotation and can be in operative connection with the connection point or forms this connection point; wherein the eccentric gear section has a star wheel gear stage.

2. The eccentric adjusting unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the star wheel gear stage has a driving gear pair and a locking gear pair.

3. The eccentric adjusting unit as claimed in claim 2, wherein the driving gear pair has a driving gear having a driving gearing limited to a driving angular segment and a driven gear having a circumferential driven gearing which is in engagement with the driving gearing depending on an angular position of the driving gear.

4. The eccentric adjusting unit as claimed in claim 3, wherein the locking gear pair has a driving locking gear and a driven locking gear, wherein the driving locking gear has, in a circumferential direction, a locking region in a locking angular segment and a freewheel region in a freewheel angular segment and wherein the driven locking gear has a plurality of locking receiving features for receiving the freewheel region, wherein the driven locking gear is in a locking state when the locking region is in engagement with one of the locking receiving features and in a freewheel state when the locking region is not in engagement with the locking receiving features.

5. The eccentric adjusting unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the driving gear is arranged coaxially and in a torque-proof manner with respect to the driving locking gear and/or the driven gear is arranged coaxially and in a torque-proof manner with respect to the driving locking gear.

6. The eccentric adjusting unit as claimed in claim 5, wherein the driving angular segment (alpha) and the freewheel angular segment (beta) are congruent.

7. The eccentric adjusting unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the output shaft is arranged eccentrically with respect to the driven gear and/or with respect to the driving locking gear.

8. The eccentric adjusting unit as claimed in claim 4, wherein the input shaft is arranged coaxially with respect to the driving gear and/or with respect to the driving locking gear.

9. The eccentric adjusting unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the eccentric adjusting unit comprises the control arm of the wheel suspension, wherein the control arm acts on the connection point and wherein the output shaft is in operative connection with the control arm via the connection point.

10. A wheel suspension for a vehicle, comprising an eccentric adjusting unit as claimed in claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further features, advantages and effects of the disclosure are revealed in the description below of example embodiments of the disclosure and the accompanying figures, which show:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an eccentric adjusting unit as an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 is a three-dimensional illustration of a star wheel gear stage in the eccentric adjusting unit of FIG. 1; and

(4) FIGS. 3 a,b,c,d are different phases in the operation of the star wheel gear stage of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) FIG. 1 shows, in a highly schematized illustration, an eccentric adjusting unit 1 for adjusting a control arm 2 of a wheel suspension 3, in particular a multi-control-arm wheel suspension. For example, the eccentric adjusting unit 1 serves for the mechanical track adjustment of a vehicle rear axle in motor vehicles having a multi-control-arm wheel suspension in order to alter the turning circle, in particular to reduce the turning circle, and thereby facilitate parking and maneuvering at low vehicle speeds.

(6) The eccentric adjusting unit 1 acts on the control arm 2 via a connection point 4 in order to manipulate said control arm and in particular alter its position and/or location. The control arm has a through-opening 5 for receiving the connection point 4.

(7) The eccentric adjusting unit 1 is designed as an active actuator device having an electric motor 6. The electric motor 6 is in operative connection with a gear unit 7 which is designed as a reduction gear unit. The gear unit 7 converts a high rotational speed at the input of the gear unit 7 into a low rotational speed at the output of the gear unit 7. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the electric motor 6 and the gear unit 7 are arranged coaxially.

(8) The output of the gear unit 7 is shown as an input shaft 8 into an eccentric gear section 9. An output shaft 10 of the eccentric gear section 9 rotates eccentrically with respect to an output axis of rotation 11 of the eccentric gear section 9. The output shaft 10 is guided through the through-opening 5 of the control arm 2 and manipulates the control arm 2 as a result of the eccentric rotational movement and thereby forms the connection point 4. In more general terms, the output shaft 10 is in operative connection with the control arm 2 as an eccentric via the connection point 4 in order to manipulate the control arm 2. The output shaft 10 is eccentrically supported in a bearing gear 12, which is arranged such that it can rotate coaxially with respect to the output axis of rotation 11. Via the bearing gear 12, the output shaft 10 is supported at the end which is remote from the eccentric gear section 9 and thus stabilized. The support is effected via a fixed/floating bearing 13, wherein an output section of the eccentric gear section 9 is supported via a first radial bearing 14 and the bearing gear 12 is supported via a second radial bearing 15.

(9) The eccentric gear section 9 has a star wheel gear stage 16 which comprises a driving twin gear 17 and a driven twin gear 18. The driving twin gear 17 is arranged coaxially with respect to the input shaft 8 and/or with respect to the rotor shaft of the electric motor 6. The driven twin gear 18 is aligned parallel-offset from the input shaft 8 and coaxially with respect to the output axis of rotation 11. On the one hand, the star wheel gear stage 16 implements the function of rotating the output shaft 10 about the output axis of rotation 11 and, on the other hand, the function of holding the output shaft 10 with form fit in a selected position. On an output side of the driven twin gear 18, the output shaft 10 is arranged parallel-offset from the output axis of rotation 11 and/or eccentrically with respect to the output axis of rotation 11 and is moved about the output axis of rotation 11 by the output twin gear 18.

(10) FIG. 2 shows, in a schematic three-dimensional illustration, the star wheel gear stage 16 in two different views so that the individual regions can be seen uncovered. The star wheel gear stage 16 has the driving twin gear 17 and the driven twin gear 18. The driving twin gear 17 and the driven twin gear 18 form a driving gear pair 20 and a locking gear pair 21. The driving gear pair 20 implements the function of driving the output shaft 10, the locking gear pair implements the function of locking the position of the output shaft 10 with form fit.

(11) The driving gear pair 20 has a driving gear 22 and a driven gear 23. The driving gear 22 is part of the driving twin gear 17, the driven gear 23 is a component of the driven twin gear 18. The driving gear 22 has a driving gearing 24, although this is limited to a driving angular segment alpha, which is limited in this example to ca. 60 degrees about an input axis 25. The remaining circumferential region of the driving gear 22 is set back with respect to the driving gearing 24 and is located in a pitch diameter which corresponds to the tooth base of the driving gearing 24 or is even set back further in the direction of the input axis 25. The driven gear 23, on the other hand, has a circumferential driven gearing 26. Depending on the angular position, the driving gearing 24 can engage in the driven gearing 26. Therefore, with a full revolution of the driving gear 22, the driven gear 23 is only rotated further through the angle defined by the engagement length of the driving gearing 24 in the driven gearing 26 in the circumferential direction.

(12) The locking gear pair 21 has a driving locking gear 27 and a driven locking gear 28. The driving locking gear 27 can be divided in the circumferential direction into a locking region 29 and a freewheel region 30. The freewheel region 30 defines a freewheel angular segment beta, the locking region 29 defines a locking angular region gamma.

(13) The driven locking gear 28, on the other hand, has a plurality of locking receiving means 31 which are distributed regularly in the circumferential direction and are designed complementarily to the locking region 29 so that the locking receiving means 31 can receive the locking region 29. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the locking region 29 is designed as a cylindrical region which is aligned coaxially with respect to the input axis 25. The locking receiving means 31, on the other hand, are designed as hollow cylindrical regions which have the same radius as the locking region 29, but are open radially outwards.

(14) The driving angular segment alpha is arranged congruent to the freewheel angular segment beta in an axial plan view so that the star wheel gear stage 16 is switched to freewheel mode if the driving gearing 24 is in engagement with the driven gearing 26 and arrives in a locking state as soon as the driving gearing 24 and the driven gearing 26 move out of engagement.

(15) The driven twin gear 18 furthermore has a bearing region 32 for supporting and driving the output shaft 10. The bearing region 32 is arranged eccentrically with respect to the output axis of rotation 11.

(16) The star wheel gear stage 16 is shown in an axial plan view in different phases in FIGS. 3a-d. FIG. 3a shows a first phase in which the locking region 29 is arranged in one of the locking receiving means 31. The driven twin gear 18 is thus locked against rotation with form fit so that the output shaft 10 is also fixed in position with form fit. Upon a further rotation of the driving twin gear 17 by the electric motor 6, the locking region 29 is moved out of the locking receiving means 31 in a second phase, as shown in FIG. 3b. On the other hand, the driving gearing 24 moves into engagement with the driven gearing 26. In a third phase, the driven twin gear 18 is rotated according to FIG. 3b. As a result of the rotation of the driven twin gear 18, the output shaft 10 is moved eccentrically with respect to the output axis of rotation 11. As soon as the driving gearing 24 moves out of engagement with the driven gearing 26 in a fourth phase, as illustrated in FIG. 3d, the locking region 29 is rotated into the next locking receiving means 31 so that the star wheel gear stage 16, and therefore the output shaft 10, is locked again with form fit.

(17) As a result of the star wheel gear stage 16, intermittent operation is therefore possible, wherein the output shaft 10 can be rotated further about the output axis of rotation 11 in a step-wise manner. Between the steps, the star wheel gear stage 16 is secured with form fit by the locking gear pair 21.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(18) 1 Eccentric adjusting unit 2 Control arm 3 Wheel suspension 4 Connection point 5 Through-opening 6 Electric motor 7 Gear unit 8 Input shaft 9 Eccentric gear section 10 Output shaft 11 Output axis of rotation 12 Bearing gear 13 Fixed/floating bearing 14 First radial bearing 15 Second radial bearing 16 Star wheel gear stage 17 Driving twin gear 18 Driven twin gear 19 Idle 20 Driving gear pair 21 Locking gear pair 22 Driving gear 23 Driven gear 24 Driving gearing 25 Input axis 26 Driven gearing 27 Driving locking gear 28 Driven locking gear 29 Locking region 30 Freewheel region 31 Locking receiving means 32 Bearing region