BRAKE MODULE FOR A VEHICLE FLAP DRIVE SYSTEM, AND VEHICLE FLAP DRIVE SYSTEM

Abstract

The invention relates to a brake module (100) for a vehicle flap drive system with at least one first friction partner (130) and at least one second friction partner (160, 170), wherein the friction partners (130, 160, 170) each have at least one friction surface (140, 150, 180, 190) which rub against one another during braking operation, wherein the first friction partner (130) is formed in one piece from a plastic with a carbon fiber content.

The invention further relates to a vehicle flap drive system comprising a brake module (100).

Claims

1. Brake module for a vehicle flap drive system with at least one first friction partner and at least one second friction partner, wherein the friction partners each have at least one friction surface which rub against one another during braking operation, wherein the first friction partner is formed in one piece from a plastic having a carbon fiber content.

2. Brake module according to claim 1, wherein the carbon fibers are mixed into the plastic as cuttings.

3. Brake module according to claim 1, wherein the first friction partner is provided as a brake disk and the second friction partner is provided as a thrust disk.

4. Brake module according to claim 1, wherein the second friction partner is provided on two opposite sides of the first friction partner, wherein the first friction partner has one friction surface facing each of the second friction partners, respectively.

5. Brake module according to claim 1, wherein at least one second friction partner consists of chromium-5 steel.

6. Brake module according to claim 1, wherein the first friction partner is produced by means of an injection-molding process.

7. Brake module according to claim 1, wherein the friction surface of the first friction partner in each case has a number of recesses for receiving a lubricant.

8. Brake module according to claim 7, wherein the lubricant is free of PFPE, PTFE and silicone.

9. Brake module according to claim 1, wherein the first friction partner is annular and has a central opening, wherein the central opening has an approximately circular cross-section with at least two tooth sections separated by recesses.

10. Brake module according to claim 1, wherein the brake module comprises a housing in which the first friction partner and the at least one second friction partner are guided, wherein the brake module comprises a cover disk which is connected to the housing by a latching connection in such a way that the first friction partner and the at least one second friction partner are held in the housing.

11. Brake module according to claim 10, wherein the housing comprises a number of housing slots whose slot longitudinal axis is aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drive system, wherein at least one second friction partner has projections directed radially outwards from the longitudinal axis which are shaped to be complementary to the housing slots, so that the housing slots and the projections interact in a form-fitting manner against a rotation of the second friction partner relative to the housing about the longitudinal axis.

12. Vehicle flap drive system comprising a brake module according to claim 1.

13. Vehicle flap drive system according to claim 12, wherein the drive system is an electric spindle drive.

Description

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a brake module 100 according to the invention in a three-dimensional representation. The brake module 100 is connected for example via a driver 120 (shown in FIG. 6) to a spindle (not shown) of a vehicle flap drive system. The drive system can be an electric spindle drive, known for example from EP 1 767 439 A2. The spindle is rotationally driven by a drive unit designed as an electric motor, whereby fastening elements of the spindle drive can be moved relative to one another in order for example to open or close a vehicle hatch.

[0039] FIG. 2 shows the brake module 100 of FIG. 1 in an exploded view. A first friction partnerhere a brake disk 130comprises at least one, preferably two, friction surfaces 140, 150, which each rub against an adjacent friction surface 180, 190 of second friction partnershere two thrust washers 160, 170during braking operation, as a result of relative rotation of the brake disk 130 relative to the thrust washers 160, 170 about a longitudinal axis of the spindle or the drive system. A braking torque is thereby exerted on the spindle of the drive system. A spring 200 exerts a spring force along the longitudinal axis on one of the thrust washers 160, whereby the brake disk 130 and the thrust washers 160, 170 are pressed against one another in order to hold them in frictional contact. The strength of the spring force is a parameter via which the magnitude of the braking force can be determined. In this embodiment, the spring 200 is a wave spring.

[0040] The brake disk 130, the thrust washers 160, 170, the spring 200, and a cover disk 210 are arranged in a housing 220 in a manner guided coaxially about the longitudinal axis. The housing 220 is connected to the cover disk 210 by a latching connection, whereby the brake disk 130, the two thrust washers 160, 170, and the spring 200 are held in the housing 220. In this case, the cover disk 210 has latching openings 215 in which latching hooks 225 of the housing 220 can engage. The structure of the brake module along the longitudinal axis is thus: spring 200, thrust washer 160, brake disk 130, thrust washer 170, cover disk 210. These components are all at least partially surrounded by the housing 220 when assembled. A simple assembly of the brake module 100 in the drive system can thus be achieved without the risk of losing a part of the brake module 100.

[0041] The housing 220 further comprises a number of, e.g. five, housing slots 226 evenly distributed around the longitudinal axis in the peripheral direction of the housing 220, and having a slot longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis. The projections 165, 175 of the thrust washers 160, 170, which are directed radially outwards from the longitudinal axis, engage in the housing slots 226. This prevents a rotation of the housing 220 and of the thrust washers 160, 170 relative to each other about the longitudinal axis when the brake disk 130 rotates with the spindle and rubs against the thrust washers 160, 170 during braking operation.

[0042] The brake disk 130 is annular and has a central opening 135. The central opening 135 has an approximately circular cross-section with at least two, e.g. four, tooth sections 136, uniformly distributed about the longitudinal axis in the peripheral direction of the brake disk 130 and separated from one another by recesses 137. The design of the brake disk 130 can be seen in particular in FIG. 5, which shows an enlarged representation of the brake disk 130. The tooth sections 136 comprise teeth 138 that project radially inwards. Such a design allows a flexible connection of the brake disk 130 to the spindle of the drive system via the driver 120 shown in FIG. 6. The driver 120 comprises wings 125 that engage in the recesses 137 of the brake disk 130. The torque is transmitted between the driver 120 and the brake disk 130 via the contact between the wings 125 and the teeth 138.

[0043] As can be seen in particular in FIG. 5, the friction surfaces 140, 150 of the brake disk 130 have a number of depressions 139 for receiving a lubricant, which are designed as overlapping circular segments that are open radially outwards. This geometry allows as much lubricant as possible to remain in frictional contact for as long as possible, so that wear resistance and noise behavior can be optimized.

[0044] The depressions 139 thus serve as a reservoir for the lubricant matched to the friction partners and thus increase the service life of the brake module without large quantities of lubricant being required.

[0045] The lubricant is particularly free of PFPE, PTFE and silicone, which ensures environmentally friendly use without any harmful components.

[0046] The brake disk 130 is formed in one piece from a plastic with a carbon fiber content and is preferably manufactured by means of an injection-molding process. The plastics material of the brake disk 130 is optimized for a friction combination with the thrust washers 160, 170. The carbon fibers added as cuttings also enable long-lasting and low-wear friction, so that the outstanding mechanical properties of the carbon fibers can be advantageously combined with the simple processing of the plastic, resulting in a brake module 100 that is reliable, lightweight and cost-effective to produce.

[0047] Due to the one-piece design in plastics material the brake module 100 can be manufactured more easily and cost-effectively by avoiding complex assembly processes and material connections. There is no need for a complex and cost-intensive coating with one or more friction layers. The brake disk 130 made of plastic is also insensitive to storage.

[0048] Further disk elements 230, 240 shown in FIG. 6 secure the positioning of the driver 2 on the spindle (not shown) of the spindle drive.