BRAKING DEVICE FOR A DRIVE DEVICE

Abstract

A brake arrangement for a drive apparatus, in particular for a drive apparatus for adjusting a vehicle flap, includes a brake housing (2), wherein the brake housing (2) comprises a first brake housing part (3) and a second brake housing part (7), a first brake element (13) which is arranged non-rotatably in the brake housing (2), a second brake element (15) which is arranged rotatably in the brake housing (2), and a preload means (19) for preloading one of the first brake element (13) and second brake element (15) toward the other of the first brake element (13) and second brake element (15) in the direction of a longitudinal axis (L) of the brake housing (2). The brake housing (2) has a connecting section (11) for connecting the first brake housing part (3) and the second brake housing part (7), and in that the first brake housing part (3) and the second brake housing part (7) are welded to one another in the connecting section (11).

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12: A braking device for a drive device for adjusting a vehicle panel, comprising: a brake housing comprising a first brake housing part and a second brake housing part; a first brake element non-rotatably arranged in the brake housing; a second brake element rotatably arranged in the brake housing; and a biasing means for biasing one of the first brake element and the second brake element toward the other of the first brake element and the second brake element in a direction of a longitudinal axis of the brake housing, wherein the brake housing comprises a connecting portion for connecting the first brake housing part and the second brake housing part, and wherein the first brake housing part and the second brake housing part are laser-welded to one another in the connecting portion of the brake housing.

13: The braking device according to claim 12, wherein the first brake housing part and the second brake housing part axially overlap in the connecting portion.

14: The braking device according to claim 12, wherein one of the first brake housing part and the second brake housing part radially surrounds the other of the first brake housing part and the second brake housing part at least in the connecting portion of the brake housing.

15: The braking device according to claim 12, wherein the first brake housing part and the second brake housing part are arranged concentrically to one another.

16: The braking device according to claim 12, wherein an entirety of the brake housing is constructed concentrically about its longitudinal axis.

17: The braking device according to claim 12, wherein the first brake housing part and the second brake housing part are each made of plastic at least in the connecting portion of the brake housing.

18: The braking device according to claim 12, wherein the first brake housing part and the second brake housing part are each made entirely of plastic.

19: The braking device according to claim 12, wherein one of the first brake housing part and the second brake housing part is made of a laser-transparent plastic at least in the connecting portion of the brake housing.

20: The braking device according to claim 19, wherein the other of the first brake housing part and the second brake housing part is made of a laser-intransparent plastic at least in the connecting portion of the brake housing.

21: The braking device according to claim 12, wherein the first brake housing part has a first stop surface and the second brake housing part has a second stop surface.

22: The braking device according to claim 21, wherein the first stop surface faces the second stop surface.

23: The braking device according to claim 22, wherein the first brake element, the second brake element and the biasing means are axially clamped between the first stop surface and the second stop surface.

24: The braking device according to claim 12, wherein the first brake housing part is hollow cylindrical.

25: The braking device according to claim 21, wherein an annular step is formed on an inner circumference of the first brake housing part.

26: The braking device according to claim 25, wherein the annular step has the first stop surface.

27: The braking device according to claim 25, wherein one of the first brake element and the second brake element abuts against the annular step of the first brake housing part.

28: The braking device according to claim 21, wherein the second brake housing part has an annular base.

29: The braking device according to claim 28, wherein the annular base has the second stop surface facing the first stop surface

30: A drive device for adjusting a vehicle panel comprising: the braking device according claim 12.

Description

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] The present disclosure is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings using a preferred exemplary embodiment.

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a preferred exemplary embodiment of a braking device according to the present disclosure in a side view sectioned longitudinally.

[0019] FIG. 2 shows the braking device from FIG. 1 in a perspective view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a preferred exemplary embodiment of a braking device 1 according to the present disclosure in a side view sectioned longitudinally. The braking device 1 comprises a brake housing 2, wherein the brake housing 2 comprises a first brake housing part 3. The first brake housing part 3 is substantially hollow cylindrical and comprises a first end 3a, which also forms a first end of the brake housing 2. In the region of the first end 3a, the first brake housing part 3 has an inner toothing 4 on its inner circumference.

[0021] The innner toothing 4 serves to connect the first brake housing part 3 to a bearing element (not shown here), in particular a ball bearing for rotatably supporting a spindle rod (not shown here) of a spindle drive. The first brake housing part 3 is made of a laser-intransparent plastic so that the bearing element can be pressed into the first end 3a of the first brake housing part 3 via the inner toothing 4 with an external toothing, as a result of which the bearing element can be fastened in the first end 3a of the first brake housing part 3 in a rotationally fixed and axially secured manner.

[0022] Opposite the first end 3a, the first brake housing part 3 has a second end 3b. Between the first end 3a and the second end 3b, the first brake housing part 3 further has a middle portion 3c. In the middle portion 3c, the first brake housing part 3 has a radially circumferential annular step 5 on its inner circumference, the function of which will be explained below. In the region of the second end 3b, the first brake housing part 3 has a hollow cylinder wall 6 which extends axially along the longitudinal axis L of the brake housing 2 up to the annular step 5.

[0023] The brake housing 2 further comprises a second brake housing part 7. The second brake housing part 7 has a first end 7a, wherein the first end 7a forms a second end of the brake housing 2 opposite the first end 3a. The second brake housing part 7 has an annular base 8 at the first end 7a. Opposite the first end 7a, the second brake housing part 7 has a second end 7b. In the region of the second end 7b, the second brake housing part 7 has a hollow cylinder wall 9 which extends to the annular base 8. The second brake housing part 7 is advantageously pot-shaped, wherein a circular opening 10 which is delimited by the annular base 8 is provided on the base side.

[0024] The hollow cylinder wall 6 of the first brake housing part 3 and the hollow cylinder wall 9 of the second brake housing part 7 overlap axially in a connecting portion 11. The first brake housing part 3 is thereby connected to the second brake housing part 7 via the connecting portion 11. For this purpose, the hollow cylinder wall 6 of the first brake housing part 3 has an outer diameter that is smaller than an inner diameter of the hollow cylinder wall 9 of the second brake housing part 7 so that the second end 3b of the first brake housing part 3 can be inserted into the second end 7b of the second brake housing part 7 to form the connecting portion 10.

[0025] In the connecting portion 11, the hollow cylinder wall 6 of the first brake housing part 3 is integrally connected to the hollow cylinder wall 9 of the second brake housing part 7 by a first weld point 12, which is shown schematically. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, the hollow cylinder wall 9 of the second brake housing part 7 is made of a laser-transparent plastic and the hollow cylinder wall 6 of the first brake housing part 3 is made of a laser-intransparent plastic. The first brake housing part 3 is thus connected to the second brake housing part 7 by means of laser welding. Advantageously, the overall length of the brake housing 2 can be selected very precisely by telescopically displacing the first brake housing part 3 relative to the second brake housing part 7 and then welding it from the outside through the hollow cylinder wall 9 of the second brake housing part 7 using a laser.

[0026] Two first brake elements 13 are arranged in the brake housing 2, wherein the first brake elements 13 are designed as annular brake disks and are non-rotatably connected to the brake housing 2. For this purpose, the first brake elements 13 have projections 13a projecting radially outward, wherein one projection 13a passes through a slot-shaped opening 14 in the hollow cylinder wall 6 provided on the inner circumference of the first brake housing part 3. As a result, the first brake element 13 is connected to the first brake housing part 3 in a non-rotatably but axially displaceable manner.

[0027] Further, a second brake element 15 is arranged in the brake housing 2, wherein the second brake element 15 is rotatable relative to the brake housing 2. The second brake element 15 is designed as an annular brake disk, wherein it has a central internal toothing 16 that can be brought into engagement with a corresponding external toothing of a spindle rod (not shown here) so that the second brake element 15 can be non-rotatably connected to the spindle rod. When the spindle rod rotates, the second brake element 15 rotates accordingly with it. The second brake element 15 has an outer diameter that is smaller than the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder wall 6 of the first brake housing part 3 so that the second brake element 15 is freely rotatable within the first brake housing part 3 and radially surrounded by the hollow cylinder wall 6 of the first brake housing part 3.

[0028] The second brake element 15 is arranged axially between the two first brake elements 13. An annular intermediate element 17, which is made of a carbon fabric, is arranged between each one of the first brake elements 13 and the second brake elements 15. The first brake elements 13, the second brake element 15 and the annular intermediate elements 17 together form a brake disk package 18. To define a predetermined braking force, the braking device 1 comprises a biasing means 19, which in the exemplary embodiment shown here is designed as a wave spring, wherein the biasing means 19 is provided to bias the brake disk package 18.

[0029] For this purpose, the biasing means 19 abuts with a first end 19a against the first brake element 13, which brake element faces the annular base 8 of the second brake housing part 7. Further, the biasing means 19 abuts with a second end 19b opposite the first end 19a against the annular base 8 or a stop surface 8a of the second brake housing part 7. Furthermore, the brake disk package 18 or the first brake element 13, which is arranged facing away from the annular base 8 of the second brake housing part 7, abuts against a stop surface 5a of the annular step 5 of the first brake housing part 3.

[0030] The brake disk package 18 and the biasing means 19 are advantageously arranged axially between the first stop surface 5a of the annular step 5 of the first brake housing part 3 and the second stop surface 8a of the annular base of the second brake housing part 7. Advantageously, the biasing force exerted on the brake disk package 18 can thus be adjusted by axially displacing the first brake housing part 3 relative to the second brake housing part 7 and can be fixed by subsequently connecting the first brake housing part 3 and the second brake housing part 7 in the connecting portion 11, since the brake disk package 18 and the biasing means 19 are arranged together between the annular step 5 of the first brake housing part 3 and the annular base 8 of the second brake housing part 7.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows the braking device 1 of FIG. 1 in a perspective view. In this view, it can be clearly seen that the first brake housing part 3 has an inner toothing 4 arranged along the inner circumference at its first end 3a, which inner toothing is designed for pressing in a bearing element. Furthermore, it can be clearly seen that the hollow cylinder wall 6 of the first brake housing part 3 has a total of three slot-shaped openings 14, through which the radial projections 13a of the first brake elements 13 pass. Furthermore, the second brake element 15 clamped between the first brake elements 13 can be seen, wherein the second brake element 15 has an inner toothing 16 for a non-rotatable connection with a spindle rod. Finally, one of the intermediate elements 17, which is clamped between a first braking element 13 and the second braking element 15, can be seen.

[0032] The second brake housing part 7 can also be seen, which is fitted like a cover onto the hollow cylinder wall 6 of the first brake housing part 3 and thus forms the brake housing 2 together with the first brake housing part 3, wherein the first brake housing part 3 and the second brake housing part 7 are integrally connected to one another by means of laser welding in the connecting portion 11, in which the hollow cylinder wall 6 of the first brake housing part 3 and the hollow cylinder wall 9 of the second brake housing part 7 overlap axially.

[0033] The present disclosure was explained above on the basis of an exemplary embodiment, in which the first brake housing part 3 is made of a laser-intransparent plastic and the second brake housing part 7 is made of a laser-transparent plastic. This is the case or advantageous in the exemplary embodiment shown because the hollow cylinder wall 9 of the second brake housing part 7 is arranged on the outside in the connecting portion, making laser welding easier. However, it is understood that the first brake housing part 3 can also be made of a laser-transparent plastic and the second brake housing part 7 can be made of a laser-intransparent plastic.