DRIVE ADAPTER FOR TOOL-FREE MOUNTING OF A DRIVE ELEMENT ON A RAIL ELEMENT OF A GUIDE SYSTEM

Abstract

A drive adapter for tool-free mounting of a drive element on a rail element of a guide system includes a drive carrier and a holding section. The drive carrier includes a mounting means for a drive element. The holding section includes two support surfaces and a holding ridge which connects the support surfaces at least in sections and defines a distance between the support surfaces. The two support surfaces are either each convexly curved, face away from one another and configured such that they can be clamped between two rolling element running surfaces of the rail element which face one another, or each concavely curved, face toward one another and configured such that they can be clamped onto two legs of the rail element and carry rolling element running surfaces which face away from one another.

Claims

1. A drive adapter for tool-free mounting of a drive element on a rail element of a guide system comprising: a drive carrier; and a holding section, wherein the drive carrier comprises: a mounting means for a drive element, wherein the holding section comprises: two support surfaces, and a holding ridge which connects the support surfaces at least in sections and defines a distance between the support surfaces, wherein the two support surfaces are either: each convexly curved, face away from one another and configured such that they can be clamped between two rolling element running surfaces of the rail element which face one another, or each concavely curved, face toward one another and configured such that they can be clamped onto two legs of the rail element and carry rolling element running surfaces which face away from one another.

2. The drive adapter according to claim 1, wherein the holding section comprises at least one latching lug or a latching recess for latching with a complementary element on the rail element.

3. The drive adapter according to claim 1, wherein the drive adapter is made in one piece of plastic.

4. The drive adapter according to claim 1, wherein the holding ridge carries at least one bearing block for receiving a bearing of a shaft.

5. The drive adapter according to claim 1, wherein the holding ridge carries two bearing blocks for receiving a respective bearing of a drive shaft and an output shaft, wherein an opening for receiving a coupling between a drive shaft and an output shaft is provided in the holding ridge between the two bearing blocks.

6. The drive adapter according to claim 1, wherein the mounting means of the drive carrier comprises two clamping jaws with concave clamping surfaces which face one another for clamping a convex outer surface of the drive element having an electric motor in a force-locking manner.

7. The drive adapter according to claim 1, wherein the mounting means of the drive carrier comprises a mounting frame having two opposite clamping surfaces for receiving the output element between the two clamping surfaces in a force-locking manner.

8. The drive adapter according to claim 1, wherein a distance between the two opposite clamping surfaces is adjustably variable so that drive elements of different lengths can be received in the mounting frame.

9. The drive adapter according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the two clamping surfaces is resiliently pretensioned at least in sections in the direction of the other clamping surface.

10. The drive adapter according to claim 7, wherein at least one of the two clamping surfaces comprises at least one crimping bead for clamping the drive element in a force-locking manner.

11. The drive adapter according to claim 7, wherein the two clamping surfaces extend substantially perpendicular or substantially parallel to the holding ridge.

12. The drive adapter according to claim 1, wherein the mounting means of the drive carrier comprises a rolling bearing seat for receiving a rolling bearing of a shaft, wherein the rolling bearing seat is preferably disposed to receive a rolling bearing for a shaft which is substantially perpendicular to the holding ridge.

13. A system comprising: a guide system comprising at least a first and a second rail element; a drive element; and the drive adapter according to claim 1, wherein the first rail element comprises: two legs which each carry a concavely curved rolling element running surface, and a rail back which connects said legs, wherein the holding section is either: clamped into the first rail element such that both of the convexly curved support surfaces which face away from one another are each in engagement with a rolling element running surface, or clamped onto the first rail element such that the concavely curved support surfaces which face one another are in engagement with outer surfaces of the legs which face away from one another.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein either a distance between the support surfaces of the holding section which face away from one another prior to being placed into the first rail element is larger than a distance between the rolling element running surfaces of the rail element or a distance between the support surfaces of the holding section which face one another prior to being placed onto the first rail element is smaller than a distance of the outer surfaces of the legs which face away from one another.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein the holding ridge of the drive adapter comprises a latching lug that is snapped into a latching recess in the rail back of the first rail element or the rail back of the first rail element comprises a latching lug that is snapped into the holding ridge of the drive adapter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0052] Further advantages, features, and possible applications of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of embodiments and the associated figures. In the figures, the same elements are identified with the same reference signs.

[0053] FIG. 1 is a partially broken-away isometric view of a first rail element of a telescopic rail from a system comprising a telescopic rail, a drive adapter, and a drive element.

[0054] FIG. 2 is an isometric illustration of a first embodiment of a drive adapter from above at an angle.

[0055] FIG. 3 is a plan view onto the drive adapter of FIG. 2 from above.

[0056] FIG. 4 is a broken-away enlarged illustration of the section labelled V in FIG. 3.

[0057] FIG. 5 is a broken-away, enlarged isometric illustration of a region of the drive carrier of the drive adapter of FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0058] FIG. 6 is a broken-away isometric illustration of a system comprising the first rail element of a telescopic rail of FIG. 1, the drive adapter according to FIGS. 2 to 5 and a drive element having an electric motor.

[0059] FIG. 7 is an isometric illustration of a second embodiment of a drive adapter from above at an angle.

[0060] FIG. 8 is an isometric exploded view of the drive adapter of FIG. 7.

[0061] FIG. 9 is an isometric illustration of the drive adapter of FIGS. 7 and 8 with an electric motor received on it.

[0062] FIG. 10 is an isometric illustration of the drive adapter from FIGS. 7 to 9 from above at an angle in a second, shorter length of the drive carrier than shown in FIG. 7.

[0063] FIG. 11 is an isometric illustration of a third embodiment of the drive adapter from above at an angle.

[0064] FIG. 12 is an isometric illustration of a further embodiment of a drive adapter from above at an angle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PARTICULAR EMBODIMENTS

[0065] The system 1 described in the following with reference to the figures includes a linear guide system in the form of a telescopic rail 2, a drive adapter 3 and a drive element, which in the shown embodiments is either an electric motor 4 or a drive shaft comprising a rolling bearing.

[0066] FIG. 1 shows a first rail element 5 of a telescopic rail, which is adapted for motorisation. The first rail element 5 comprises a rail back 6 which is substantially flat. Extending from this rail back 6 are an upper leg 7 and a lower leg 8, which carry the rolling element running surfaces 9, 10 of the telescopic rail 2. The rolling element running surfaces 9, 10 are formed by a surface which is concave in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the pull-out direction 11 and on which balls run as rolling elements when a second rail element is mounted on the first rail element 5.

[0067] The first end 45 of the first rail element 5 is provided to receive a drive adapter 3 in the sense of the present application. For this purpose, the first end 45 of the rail element 5 comprises an opening 12 through which the coupling plates of a magnetic coupling in one embodiment can extend between a drive shaft and an output shaft. Two latching recesses 13, 14, in which two latching lugs 15 of the drive adapter 3 engage in the assembled state, are implemented in the rail back 6 as well.

[0068] In embodiments of the drive adapter as described below, a drive adapter can be flange-mounted to the first rail element 5 adapted in this way without tools. A drive element received on the drive adapter is thus mounted on the rail element 5 without tools.

[0069] Each embodiment of a drive adapter 3 shown in the figures comprises a holding section 16 and a drive carrier 18 for receiving the drive element 4.

[0070] The holding section 16 is crucial for the tool-free fastening of the drive adapter 3 to the first rail element 5. The holding section 16 comprises a holding ridge 17, which is substantially flat and, in the assembled state of the drive adapter, extends substantially parallel to the rail back 6 of the first rail element 5. Two legs 18, 19 which carry the support surfaces 20, 21 extend from this holding ridge 17. The holding section 16 with the holding ridge 17 and the legs 18, 19 with the support surfaces 20, 21 is substantially complementary to the first rail element 5 with the rail back 6 and the legs 7, 8. The holding section 16 can therefore be inserted between the rolling element running surfaces 9, 10 of the first rail element 5, so that the support surfaces 20, 21 of the holding section 16 are in contact with the rolling element running surfaces 9, 10.

[0071] The thus provided form fit secures the drive adapter 3 against movement in the vertical direction of the first rail element 5 perpendicular to the pull-out direction 11. Compared to the distance between the rolling element running surfaces 9, 10 of the first rail element 5, the distance between the support surfaces 20, 21 of the holding section 16 which face away from one another has interference of approximately 1 mm. A force fit is thus provided between the holding section 16 and the first rail element 5, the frictional forces of which substantially limit displacement of the drive adapter 3 in and against the pull-out direction relative to the first rail element 5.

[0072] However, in order to completely fix the drive adapter 3 in and against the pull-out direction 11 on the first rail element 5 as well, an outer surface 22 of the drive carrier 18, which extends substantially perpendicular to the pull-out direction, 11 forms a stop. When the drive adapter 3 is mounted on the first rail element 5, this stop comes into contact with a front face 23 on the first end 10 45 of the first rail element 5. The contact between the front face 23 of the first rail element 5 and the outer surface 22 of the drive carrier 18 prevents the drive adapter 3 from being pushed further into the rail element 5 in pull-out direction 11.

[0073] In order to also fix the drive adapter on the first rail element 5 against a movement against the pull-out direction, the holding section 16 comprises two latching lugs 15 on the holding ridge 17. These latching lugs 15 are injection-moulded onto the rear side of the holding ridge, as can be seen in the plan view from above onto the drive adapter 3 of FIG. 3 and in the enlarged detail view of FIG. 4.

[0074] To ensure that the latching lugs 15 deflect relative to the rest of the holding ridge 17 when the holding section 16 is pushed in between the legs 7, 8 of the rail element 5, the two latching lugs 15 are disposed on webs 24, 25 of the holding ridge 17 and elongated openings are provided between the webs and the rest of the holding ridge 17.

[0075] FIG. 6 shows the first rail element 5 with the drive adapter 3 mounted on it and the elements of the actual drive received on the drive adapter 3 and the first rail element 5. An electric motor 4 is received on the drive carrier 18 of the drive adapter 3. This electric motor 4 drives a spindle drive as the output shaft 49 via a drive shaft 48 and a magnetic coupling 47.

[0076] In the shown embodiment of the drive adapter 3 according to FIGS. 2 to 6, but also in the embodiment according to FIGS. 7-10, the drive adapter 3 also serves to guide and mount the other elements of the drive which extend beyond the electric motor 4.

[0077] For this purpose, the holding ridge 17 of the holding section 16 carries two bearing blocks 26, 27. In this embodiment, each of the bearing blocks 26, 27 forms a part, namely the half-shell-shaped bearing bushing of a sliding bearing, for guiding the drive 48 and output shafts 49 of a drive train which are coupled via a magnetic coupling 47.

[0078] In the shown embodiment, the drive shaft 48 and the output shaft 49 are coupled to one another via the magnetic coupling 47 to a maximum torque. The magnetic coupling 47 comprises a first coupling element 50 and a second coupling element 51. The first coupling element 50 is the coupling element on the motor shaft side. This first coupling element 50 is connected to the motor shaft 48 in a torque-proof manner. In other words, a torque of the motor shaft 48 is introduced from the motor shaft 48 into the first coupling element 50 without slip and torque loss. The motor shaft 48 and the first coupling element 50 always rotate at the same angular velocity. The second coupling element 51 is in turn connected to the threaded spindle 49 in a torque-proof manner, so that a torque transmitted to the second coupling element 51 is transmitted to the threaded spindle 49 in full and without slip. The threaded spindle 49 and the second coupling element 51 always rotate at the same angular velocity.

[0079] The two coupling elements 50, 51 are connected to one another in an in axial direction frictionlocking manner. The force which acts in axial direction and produces the friction fit is a magnetic force from a permanent magnet. In the shown embodiment, the first, motor-side coupling element 50 comprises the permanent magnet. This permanent magnet attracts the second, spindle drive-side coupling element 51. Therefore, the first coupling element 50 is also referred to as a pot magnet and the second coupling element 51 is referred to as a magnetic thrust ring.

[0080] The magnetic coupling 47 makes it possible to provide torque limitation and also facilitates mounting of the unit consisting of the drive adapter 3 and an electric motor 4 received on it. In one example, the spindle drive can be premounted on the first rail element 5, while the drive adapter 3 is then mounted on the first rail element 5.

[0081] The holding section 16 is adjoined by a drive carrier 18. In the embodiments of FIGS. 2 to 6, 7 to 10 and 11, the drive carrier 18 serves to receive an electric motor 4 as a drive element in the sense of the present application. The electric motor 4 is also mounted on the drive carrier 18 without tools.

[0082] In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 to 6, the electric motor is clamped on a substantially circular mounting section 31 by means of two clamping jaws 29, 30 which define a circular clamping region 28. The drive carrier further comprises a mounting frame 32 having four wall surfaces 33, 34, 35, 36. The front faces 37, 38 of the electric motor 44 are clamped by the two wall surfaces 33, 36 of the mounting frame 32 which are opposite to one another in pull-out direction. The distance between the two front faces 37, 38 of the electric motor 4 is slightly smaller than the clear distance between the two clamping surfaces 33, 36 of the mounting frame 32, whereby, however, crimping beads 37 are provided on the clamping surface 33. These project into the interior of the mounting frame 32 enclosed by the wall surfaces 33, 34, 35, 36, so that the crimping beads are pressed together by the front face 38 of the electric motor 4 when the electric motor 4 is inserted into the mounting frame 32 and the two clamping surfaces 33, 36 also clamp the electric motor 4 in a direction parallel to the pull-out direction 11. The crimping beads 37 can also be seen in the 5 enlarged illustration of FIG. 5.

[0083] In the embodiment of FIGS. 2 to 6, a mounting means 38 is additionally provided on the drive carrier 18 for clamping a microswitch as end position detection for the second rail element, which can move relative the first rail element 5.

[0084] The embodiment of the drive adapter 3 according to FIGS. 7 to 9 differs from the first embodiment of the drive adapter 3 in that, in terms of its length in the direction of the pull-out direction 11, the mounting frame 32 is configured such that it is in two parts and is adjustable. To ensure the length adjustability, the side wall surfaces 34, 35 of the mounting frame 32 are respectively provided with 15 latching teeth 40.

[0085] The side walls of the mounting frame 32 are slid into receptacles 46 provided for this purpose, which are connected to the rest of the mounting frame 32 and also to the drive carrier 16. The latching teeth 40 mesh with complementary latching teeth 41 on the portion of the mounting frame 32 which is fixedly connected to the holding section 16. The latching teeth 40, 41 are configured to allow an insertion movement of the one element relative to the other element in pull-out direction, but not allow the one element to be pulled out of the other against the pull-out direction 11. An electric motor 4 received in the mounting frame 32 can thus be clamped after insertion by irreversibly pushing the one element into the other. The clamping surface 33 also comprises two resilient portions 42, which pretension the clamping surface 33 in sections in the direction of the electric motor 4 and clamp it.

[0086] In addition to the simplified mounting of the electric motor 4, the embodiment of the drive adapter 3 of FIGS. 7 to 10 makes it possible to adapt the mounting frame in its longitudinal direction parallel to the pull-out direction 11 to different lengths of electric motors 4. This can be clearly seen by comparing the illustrations of FIGS. 7 and 10. Whereas the drive carrier or its mounting frame 32 in FIG. 7 is adapted to receive a long electric motor 4, the setting in FIG. 10 is such that a shorter electric motor can be clamped.

[0087] As can be clearly seen from FIG. 10, the wall portion of the mounting frame carrying the latching teeth 40 is provided with two predetermined breaking points 42, which make it possible to reduce the amount the mounting frame projects in pull-out direction 11 in the case of very short electric motors. The frame is then broken off to the extent that it projects.

[0088] In the embodiment of FIG. 11, the drive carrier 18 is disposed such that the motor shaft 43 of the electric motor 4 extends perpendicular to the pull-out direction 11 instead of parallel. The drive adapter 3 of this embodiment can thus be implemented to realise a belt drive in which the drive belt extends in pull-out direction and is driven by a spur gear on the motor shaft 43 of the electric motor 4. In this embodiment, the two clamping surfaces extend substantially parallel to the holding ridge 17 of the holding section 16.

[0089] Unlike in the embodiments according to FIGS. 2 to 11, in the embodiment of FIG. 12, the drive adapter 3 is not provided for receiving an electric motor 4 in the drive carrier 18. Instead, the drive carrier 18 comprises a bearing seat 44 for a rolling bearing of a drive rod or shaft for synchronising the motor drive of two telescopic rails. This rolling bearing likewise forms part of a drive element in the sense of the present application.

[0090] For the purpose of the original disclosure, it should be noted that all of the features as they become apparent to a person skilled in the art from the present description, the drawings and the claims, even if they have been specifically described only in connection with specific other features, can be combined both individually and in any combination with other features or groups of features disclosed here, insofar as this has not been expressly excluded or technical circumstances make such combinations impossible or pointless. A comprehensive, explicit presentation of all conceivable combinations of features is omitted here solely for the sake of brevity and legibility of the description.

[0091] Although the invention has been presented and described in detail in the drawings and the foregoing description, this representation and description is merely an example and is not intended to limit the scope of protection as defined by the claims. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.

[0092] Modifications of the disclosed embodiments will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the drawings, the description and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprise” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain features are claimed in different claims does not preclude their combination. Reference signs in the claims are not intended to limit the scope of protection.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0093] 1 System [0094] 2 Telescopic rail [0095] 3 Drive adapter [0096] 4 Electric motor [0097] 5 First rail element [0098] 6 Rail back [0099] 7 Upper leg [0100] 8 Lower leg [0101] 9, 10 Rolling element running surfaces [0102] 11 Pull-out direction [0103] 12 Opening [0104] 13, 14 Latching recesses [0105] 15 Latching lug [0106] 16 Holding section [0107] 17 Holding ridge [0108] 18 Drive carrier [0109] 18, 19 Legs [0110] 20, 21 Support surface [0111] 22 Outer surface [0112] 23 Front face [0113] 24, 25 Webs [0114] 26, 27 Bearing block [0115] 28 Clamping region [0116] 29, 30 Clamping jaws [0117] 31 Mounting section [0118] 32 Mounting frame [0119] 33, 34, 35, 36 Wall surface [0120] 33, 36 Clamping surface [0121] 37, 38 Front face [0122] 37 Crimping bead [0123] 38 Mounting means [0124] 40, 41 Latching teeth [0125] 42 Predetermined breaking points [0126] 42 Resilient portion [0127] 43 Motor shaft [0128] 44 Bearing seat [0129] 45 End of the first rail element [0130] 46 Receptacle [0131] 47 Magnetic coupling [0132] 48 Drive shaft [0133] 49 Output shaft [0134] 50 First coupling element [0135] 51 Second coupling element