DRIVE DEVICE, PRESSURE GENERATOR FOR A BRAKE SYSTEM

Abstract

A drive device. The drive device includes an electric machine arranged in a housing, a sensor unit which has at least one circuit board and is designed to detect a rotational position of a rotor of the electric machine, and a rod-shaped contact apparatus which has at least one conductor which is electrically connected to the circuit board and is or can be electrically connected to a controller. The conductor is electrically connected to the circuit board by a plug-in connection.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A drive device, comprising: an electric machine arranged in a housing; a sensor unit which has at least one circuit board and is configured to detect a rotational position of a rotor of the electric machine; and a rod-shaped contact apparatus which has at least one conductor which is electrically connected to the circuit board and is or can be electrically connected to a controller, the conductor is electrically connected to the circuit board by a plug-in connection.

15. The drive device according to claim 14, wherein the circuit board has at least one connecting pin, and a contact socket which is electrically connected to the conductor is plugged onto the connecting pin to form the plug-in connection.

16. The drive device according to claim 15, wherein the contact socket is electrically connected to the conductor by an insulation displacement connection.

17. The drive device according to claim 15, wherein the circuit board has a pin carrier carrying the connecting pin, and/or the contact apparatus has a socket carrier carrying the contact socket.

18. The drive device according to claim 17, further comprising: a socket carrier guide arranged on the circuit board, the socket carrier guide being formed integrally with the pin carrier.

19. The drive device according to claim 17, further comprising: a socket carrier guide arranged on the circuit board, the socket carrier guide being formed separately from the pin carrier.

20. The drive device according to claim 14, wherein the contact apparatus includes a rod-shaped conductor carrier, the conductor extending through the conductor carrier or along the conductor carrier.

21. The drive device according to claim 20, wherein the socket carrier is formed separately from the conductor carrier and is connected to the conductor carrier by a form-fitting connection.

22. The drive device according to claim 20, wherein the conductor carrier has a first axial segment associated with the circuit board and a second axial segment associated with the controller, the first and the second axial segments being guided by a linear guide to be axially displaceable relative to one another.

23. The drive device according to claim 22, wherein the first and the second axial segments are of identical design.

24. The drive device according to claim 22, wherein the conductor carrier has a spring element acting between the first axial segment and the second axial segment.

25. The drive device according to claim 14, wherein the conductor is electrically connected to the controller by a further plug-in connection.

26. A pressure generator for a brake system, comprising: a pump device; a drive device configured to actuate the pump device; a controller configured to control the drive device; and a drive device, including: an electric machine arranged in a housing, a sensor unit which has at least one circuit board and is configured to detect a rotational position of a rotor of the electric machine, and a rod-shaped contact apparatus which has at least one conductor which is electrically connected to the circuit board and is or can be electrically connected to the controller, the conductor is electrically connected to the circuit board by a plug-in connection.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a pressure generator for a brake system, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a contact apparatus of a drive device of the pressure generator, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the contact apparatus, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the contact apparatus, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

[0022] FIG. 5 shows a front view of the contact apparatus, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a perspective representation of a pressure generator 1 for a hydraulic brake system of a motor vehicle. The pressure generator 1 comprises an electric machine 2. The drive device 2 comprises a housing 3, which in the present case has a circular cross-section.

[0024] An electric machine (not visible) of the drive device 2 is arranged in the housing 3. The electric machine has a rotatably mounted rotor and a stator fixed to the housing and having a multiphase motor winding. As a working machine, the pressure generator 1 comprises a pump device 5 with at least one fluid pump. The housing 3 of the drive device 2 is fastened to a housing 7 of the pump device 5 by a plurality of fastening means 6. The drive device 2 is designed to operate the at least one fluid pump of the pump device 5 by means of the electric machine. For this purpose, the rotor of the electric machine is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on a drive shaft of the drive device 2 which is rotatably mounted in the housing 3. The drive shaft is operatively connected to the fluid pump by a transmission device such as a planetary gearing. For mounting the drive shaft, the drive device 2 preferably has a bearing shield (not visible). The bearing shield is assigned to the electric machine and covers the electric machine. In this respect, the bearing shield forms a type of housing cover of the housing. The pressure generator 1 also has a control device 8 for controlling the electric machine. The pump device 5 is arranged between the electric motor 2 on one side and the controller 8 on the other side.

[0025] The drive device 2 has a sensor unit which is assigned to the rotor of the electric machine. The sensor unit is arranged in the housing 3, the sensor unit thus not being visible either. The sensor unit is preferably arranged in the housing 3 on a side of the bearing shield facing the electric machine. The sensor unit has at least one sensor element and is designed to detect a rotational position of the rotor of the electric machine by means of the sensor element.

[0026] A circuit board 9 of the controller 8 is electrically connected to a circuit board 11 of the sensor unit by a rod-shaped contact apparatus 10. When the drive device 2 is installed in the pressure generator 1 as shown in FIG. 1, the rod-shaped contact apparatus 10 extends through an opening in the housing 7 of the pump device 5. When the sensor unit is arranged on the side of the end shield facing the machine, the rod-shaped contact apparatus 10 preferably also extends through an opening of the bearing plate. According to an exemplary embodiment of the sensor unit, the circuit board 11 is designed as a sensor circuit board 11. The circuit board 11 that is electrically connected to the contact apparatus 10 thus comprises the aforementioned sensor element. In particular, in this exemplary embodiment, the sensor unit has only the circuit board 11 as a circuit board. According to a further exemplary embodiment of the sensor unit, the circuit board 11 is a circuit board 11 which is present in addition to the sensor circuit board and is electrically connected to the sensor circuit board. In this exemplary embodiment, the sensor unit thus has at least two circuit boards, namely the sensor circuit board and the circuit board 11.

[0027] The design of the contact apparatus 10 is explained in more detail below. For this purpose, FIG. 2 shows a side view of the contact apparatus 10. The contact apparatus 10 has a rod-shaped conductor carrier 12 made of plastics material. The conductor carrier 12 has a continuous axial passage 13 and is thus designed in the shape of a sleeve. A cable 14, which has a plurality of electrically conductive conductors 15, extends through the conductor carrier 12 or the axial passage 13. In the present case, the cable 14 is designed as a ribbon cable. The conductor carrier 12 has a first axial segment 16 and a second axial segment 17. In the present case, the axial segments 16 and 17 are of identical design.

[0028] The axial segments 16 and 17 are guided by a linear guide 18 in an axially displaceable manner relative to one another. The axial length of the conductor carrier 12 can thus be changed by displacing the axial segments 16 and 17. On the other hand, a rotation of the axial segments 16 and 17 relative to one another is blocked by the linear guide 18. FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the conductor carrier 12 in the region of the linear guide 18. The first axial segment 16 has a guide structure 19 which interacts with a guide structure 20 of the second axial segment 17 to form the linear guide 18. The first axial segment 16 as guide structure 19 has two guide projections 21 and 22, which project in the direction of the second axial segment 17. As can be seen from FIG. 3, the guide projections 21 and 22 each have a cross-section in the shape of an annular segment. In the present case, the guide projections 21 and 22 extend in the circumferential direction of the conductor carrier 12 over an angular interval of 90? and lie radially opposite one another. As mentioned above, the first axial segment 16 and the second axial segment 17 are of identical design. Correspondingly, the second axial segment 17 as guide structure 20 has two guide projections 23 and 24, which guide projections project in the direction of the first axial segment 16. The guide projections 21, 22, 23 and 24 of the axial segments 16 and 17 engage with one another to form the linear guide 18. Viewed in the circumferential direction of the conductor carrier 12, a guide projection 23 or 24 of the second axial segment 17 thus always follows a guide projection 21 or 22 of the first axial segment 16.

[0029] The contact apparatus 10 also has a spring element 25 which acts between the axial segments 16 and 17. In the present case, the spring element 25 is designed as a spiral spring 25. At one end the spring element 25 axially abuts a circumferential axial stop 26 of the first axial segment 16 and at the other end abuts a circumferential axial stop 27 of the second axial segment 17 axially opposite the axial stop 26. The spring element 25 radially encloses the linear guide 18.

[0030] The electrical connection of the conductors 15 to the circuit board 11 is explained in more detail below. For this purpose, the contact apparatus 10 has a socket carrier 28 made of plastics material with a plurality of electrically conductive contact sockets 29. FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the contact apparatus 10 in the region of the socket carrier 28. FIG. 5 shows a front view of the socket carrier 28. The number of contact sockets 29 corresponds to the number of conductors 15 in the cable 14. As can be seen from FIG. 5, in the present case there are six contact sockets 29 and thus six conductors 15. In the present case, the contact sockets 29 are arranged in two rows of three contact sockets 29. A first end 36 of the cable 14 assigned to the circuit board 11 projects out of the first axial segment 16 and into the socket carrier 28. Each of the conductors 15 is electrically connected to an in each case different contact socket 29 of the socket carrier 28. In the present case, the conductors 15 are electrically connected to the corresponding contact socket 29 by an in each case different insulation displacement connection. The socket carrier 28 is formed separately from the first axial segment 16 and is connected to the first axial segment 16 by a form-fitting connection 30. The first axial segment 16 has a holding structure 31 which interacts with a holding structure 32 of the socket carrier 28 to form the form-fitting connection 30.

[0031] The form-fitting connection 30 is designed in such a way that the socket carrier 28 is connected to the first axial segment 16 in a rotationally fixed manner. In the present case, the first axial segment 16 as holding structure 31 has two axially projecting retaining projections 33, which each have a retaining slot 34 extending in the axial direction. The socket carrier 28 as holding structure 32 has two radial projections 35. The socket carrier 28 is plugged onto the first axial segment 16 in such a way that the retaining projections 33 enclose the socket carrier 28 and the radial projections 35 engage radially in the retaining slots 34. The radial projections 35 axially abut a bottom 50 of the retaining slots 34.

[0032] The circuit board 11 has a pin carrier 37 made of plastics material with a plurality of electrically conductive connecting pins 38. The number of connecting pins 38 corresponds to the number of contact sockets 29 and thus to the number of conductors 15 in the cable 14. The connecting pins 38 each have a first contact section 39 assigned to the circuit board 11 and a second contact section 40 assigned to the contact apparatus 10. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the connecting pins 38 are designed to be angled in such a way that the first contact section 39 of a connecting pin 38 is oriented perpendicular to the second contact section 40 of the same connecting pin 38. The connecting pins 38 are electrically connected to the circuit board 11 by the first contact section 39. In the present case, the first contact sections 39 are soldered to the circuit board 11. The connecting pins 38 are electrically connected to the conductors 15 in the cable 14 by the second contact sections 40. As can be seen from FIG. 2, each of the connecting pins 38 is plugged into an in each case different contact socket 29. Correspondingly, the conductors 14 are electrically connected to the circuit board 11 by an in each case different plug-in connection 41 by means of the contact sockets 29 and the connecting pins 38.

[0033] The drive device 2 also has a socket carrier guide 42 arranged on the circuit board 11. The socket carrier guide 42 is assigned to the second contact sections 40 of the connecting pins 38 and encloses the second contact sections 40 radially at least in some regions. The socket carrier guide 42 ensures a desired alignment of the socket carrier 28 or of the contact sockets 29 when they are being plugged together with the connecting pins 38. The socket carrier guide 42 has a sleeve-shaped first axial section 43 which is assigned to the circuit board 11. The first axial section 43 is designed to match the shape of the socket carrier 28 in such a way that the socket carrier 28 can be inserted into the first axial section 43 at least substantially free of play. A second axial section 44 adjoins the first axial section 43. Starting from the first axial section 43, the second axial section 44 widens and thereby forms a kind of insertion beveling for the socket carrier 28.

[0034] According to the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the socket carrier guide 42 is formed integrally with the pin carrier 37. According to a further exemplary embodiment, the socket carrier guide 42 is formed separately from the pin carrier 37. The socket carrier guide 42 is then fastened, for example, to the circuit board 11 or to the aforementioned bearing shield.

[0035] The connection of the conductors 15 to the circuit board 9 of the controller 8 is structurally identical to the connection of the conductors 15 to the circuit board 11 of the sensor unit. Correspondingly, the conductors 15 are electrically connected to the circuit board 9 of the controller 8 by an in each case further plug-in connection 45. The further plug connections 45 are provided by a further socket carrier 46 with a plurality of further contact sockets 47 and also by a further pin carrier 48 with a plurality of further connecting pins 49, as described above with reference to the connection of the conductors 15 to the circuit board 11 of the sensor unit.