DRIVE APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTMENT DEVICES OF MOTOR VEHICLES COMPRISING AN AT LEAST TWO-PART HOUSING, AND METHOD FOR MOUNTING SUCH A DRIVE APPARATUS

Abstract

The invention relates to drive apparatus for adjustment devices of motor vehicles comprising an at least two-part housing (1), in which an electric drive unit (2) and a gear unit (3) which is operatively connected to said electric drive unit are arranged, characterized in that the housing (1) is designed as part of the gear unit (3).

Claims

1. A drive apparatus for adjustment devices of motor vehicles, comprising: an at least two-part housing (1) in which an electric drive unit (2) and an operatively connected gear unit (3) are arranged, wherein the housing (1) is configured as part of the gear unit (3).

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein internal teeth (4) are arranged on the housing (1) that are configured to intermesh with external teeth (5) of a part of the gear unit (3).

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the housing (1) has a cover element (6) and a receptacle element (7).

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein one of the cover element (6) or the receptacle element (7) of the housing (1) is configured as part of the gear unit (3).

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the internal teeth (4) are arranged on one of the cover element(6) or the receptacle element (7) of the housing (1).

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an electric motor, or a brushless electric motor as the drive unit (2).

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gear unit (3) comprises a gear selected from the group consisting of an eccentric gear, a cycloid gear (8), a strain wave gear, a harmonic gear (9) and a planetary gear (10).

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a control unit (11) for the drive unit (2).

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit (11) is arranged on a printed circuit board (12), configured as a printed circuit with preferably integrated circuits or with switching circuitry.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the printed circuit board (12) is arranged inside the housing (1).

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the printed circuit board (12) is arranged inside the housing (1) parallel to a drive shaft (13) of the drive unit (2).

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the drive unit (2) is configured rotationally symmetrically to the gear unit (3) inside the at least two-part housing (1).

13. A method for mounting a drive apparatus for adjustment devices of motor vehicles according to claim 1, comprising: mounting or fastening the adjustment device onto a car body onto a component connected to the car body before the drive apparatus is mounted on the adjustment device.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the drive apparatus is configured to be mounted or fastened on left-hand as well as right-hand variants of the adjustment device of motor vehicles.

15. The method according to claim 13 wherein the adjustment device is a cable-actuated adjustment device with a cable, and the drive apparatus is configured to be installed independently of the layout of the cable of the cable-actuated adjustment device.

16. A component adjustment device for a component of a motor vehicle, comprising: the drive apparatus according to claim 1.

17. The component adjustment device for a component of a motor vehicle according to claim 16, wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of a power window actuator, a cargo area cover, and sunroof.

18. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit (11) is arranged on a flexible printed circuit board (12).

19. A drive apparatus to adjust a power window actuator, a cargo area cover or a sunroof of a motor vehicle, comprising: an electric drive unit; an operatively connected gear unit with a pinion with external teeth; a housing for the electric drive unit and the gear unit, said housing having a cover element and a receptacle element, wherein internal gear teeth are arranged on or formed either on the cover element or on the receptacle element and are configured to intermesh with the external teeth of the gear unit.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The following is shown:

[0031] FIG. 1 an embodiment of a drive apparatus according to the invention, in a perspective view;

[0032] FIG. 2 a drive apparatus as shown in FIG. 1, in a top view perpendicular to the driven shaft;

[0033] FIG. 3 a detailed view of a receptacle element of the housing as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0034] FIG. 4 an exploded view of a first embodiment of a drive apparatus according to the invention;

[0035] FIG. 5 a second embodiment of a drive apparatus according to the invention, in an exploded view;

[0036] FIG. 6 a third embodiment of a drive apparatus according to the invention, in an exploded view; and

[0037] FIG. 7 a detailed view of an embodiment of a receptacle element of the housing 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a drive apparatus according to the invention for a drive device of motor vehicles. Here, a housing 1 accommodates a drive unit (not tensioned here) that is operatively connected to a gear unit (likewise not tensioned here) which is likewise arranged in the housing 1. The housing 1 is configured so as to consist of two parts and it comprises the receptacle element 7 that can be closed by a cover element 6.

[0039] The receptacle element 7 has an opening out of which a pinion 15, 25, 35 as well as a driven shaft 13 of the gear unit 3 protrude. The exact arrangement of the pinion 15, 25, 35 and of the driven shaft 13 can also be seen in the top view of the housing 1 as shown in FIG. 2. Moreover, FIGS. 1 and 2 show electric connection elements 14 by means of which a control unit located inside the housing 1 as well as the electric drive unit inside the housing 1 can be supplied with electric energy.

[0040] FIG. 3 then depicts an interior view of the receptacle element 7 of the housing 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Clearly visible are internal teeth 4 inside the receptacle element 7. The connection elements 14 are also shown here.

[0041] For installation purposes, an adjustment device, for instance, of a power window actuator, is configured so that it can be pre-installed on a car body. The pre-installation of a cable drum housing of the power window actuator is likewise carried out during such a pre-installation. For this purpose, fastening lugs are inserted through holes drilled into the car body and then pre-installed on the car body along with latching hooks arranged on the fastening lugs. Receptacles 40 corresponding to the fastening points are formed on the drive apparatus and these serve to surround the fastening lugs of the cable drum housing. Cutouts that serve to receive the latching hooks are provided in the receptacles on the sides of the drilled hole.

[0042] Here, the receptacles 40 are configured so as to be rotationally symmetrical by 120°. This is also a prerequisite for the drives to be universally used for the left-hand side and the right-hand side of the vehicle. This rotationally symmetrical configuration of the receptacles 40 can be seen in FIGS. 1 to 3 as well as in FIGS. 4 to 6 described below.

[0043] FIG. 4 shows an exploded view of a first embodiment of the interior of the housing 1. A drive unit 2 can be seen which consists of a rotor 17 and a stator 18, and which is operatively connected to a driven shaft 13. The drive unit 2 is arranged on a support plate 19, wherein a printed circuit board 12—on which there is a control unit 11 for the drive unit 2—is arranged between the support plate 19 and the cover element 6 of the housing 1.

[0044] Moreover, as the gear unit 3, the drive apparatus shown in FIG. 3 has an eccentric gear in the form of a cycloid gear having a first cam 26 and a second cam 27 as well as an eccentric tappet 28 and a pinion 25 that is operatively connected thereto. Here, external teeth 5 have been formed on the pinion. During operation of the drive apparatus, the external teeth 5 are operatively connected to the internal teeth 4 that have been formed inside the receptacle element 7 of the housing 1, so that the receptacle element 7 of the housing 1 is a part of the cycloid gear.

[0045] FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of a second embodiment of the interior of the housing 1 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2. Here, too, the drive unit consists of a brushless electric motor having a stator 18 and a rotor 17 as well as a driven shaft 13 corresponding to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3. The drive unit 2 is arranged on a support plate 19, wherein a printed circuit board 12—on which there is a control unit 11 for the drive unit 2—is arranged between the support plate 19 and the cover element 6 of the housing 1. In this embodiment, however, the gear unit 3 is configured as a strain wave gear in the form of a harmonic gear. The gear unit 3 shown in FIG. 4 has a flex spline 15 that is configured as a pinion and that is provided with external teeth 5. The external teeth 5 are operatively connected to internal teeth 4 arranged inside the receptacle element 7 of the housing 1. In this embodiment as well, owing to the operative connection 5 of the flex spline, the receptacle element 7 functions with its internal gar teeth 4 as an integral part of the gear unit 3.

[0046] A third embodiment of the interior of the housing 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is depicted in FIG. 6, likewise in an exploded view. The drive unit 2 is configured identically to the drive units of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The drive unit 2 is arranged on a support plate 19, wherein a printed circuit board 12—on which there is a control unit 11 for the drive unit 2—is arranged between the support plate 19 and the cover element 6 of the housing 1. In this embodiment, a planetary gear is used which, in the present case, has a sun wheel 37 and three planet wheels 35. The planet wheels 35 are arranged on a planetary carrier 36 that is likewise configured as a pinion and that has external teeth 5. These external teeth 5 of the planetary carrier 36 are operatively connected to internal teeth of the receptacle element 7 of the housing 1. In this case as well, the receptacle element functions as an integral part of the gear unit 3.

[0047] FIG. 7 then shows a top view of another embodiment of the receptacle element 7 of the housing 1, wherein the depiction of the internal teeth 4 arranged on the housing 1 has been dispensed with, even though they are also present in this embodiment. In contrast to the receptacle element 7 of the previous figures, the printed circuit board 12 here with a control unit 11 arranged on it is not arranged perpendicular to the drive shaft 13 or axle of the drive unit 2. Rather, in this embodiment, the printed circuit board 12 is arranged parallel to the drive shaft 13. Here, the printed circuit board 12 is arranged in such a way that it is situated in the housing 1 directly behind the electric terminals 14 and not—as is shown in FIG. 3—axially following the gear unit 3 and the drive unit 2 inside the housing 1.

[0048] In this embodiment as well, receptacles 40—of which only one is depicted here—can be present which are configured so as to be offset rotationally symmetrically by 120° and which serve to fasten the drive apparatus to a car body. However, other arrangements of the receptacles 40 are also possible.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0049] 1 housing [0050] 2 drive unit [0051] 3 gear unit [0052] 4 internal teeth [0053] 5 external teeth [0054] 6 cover element [0055] 7 receptacle element [0056] 8 eccentric gear [0057] 9 harmonic gear [0058] 10 planetary gear [0059] 11 control unit [0060] 12 printed circuit board [0061] 13 driven shaft [0062] 14 electric terminals [0063] 15 flex spline [0064] 16 ball bearings [0065] 17 rotor [0066] 18 stator [0067] 19 support plate [0068] 25 pinion with external teeth [0069] 26 first cam [0070] 27 second cam [0071] 28 eccentric tappet [0072] 35 planet wheels [0073] 36 planetary carrier [0074] 37 sun wheel [0075] 40 receptacles