DOOR CHECK AND METHOD FOR BLOCKING A DOOR CHECK

Abstract

The door check includes a retaining bar (20) which can be connected to one of the two door assembly parts, i.e. the door (8) or the door frame (6), and a retaining housing (13) which can be connected to the other door assembly part. In order to design a door check that allows a vehicle door to be reliably and safely blocked in an automated manner, a threaded bar (50) can be accommodated in an axially movable fashion in a cavity of the retaining bar (20).

Claims

1-27. (canceled)

28. A door check for a vehicle door, comprising a retaining rod which is configured to be attached to one of the two door arrangement parts door and door frame, a retaining housing which is configured to be attached to the other door arrangement part, wherein a spindle rod is configured to be accommodated in an axially displaceable manner in a cavity in the retaining rod.

29. The door check as claimed in claim 28, wherein a spindle nut is arranged on the retaining rod for conjoint rotation, and wherein a spindle rod is fitted in the spindle nut.

30. The door check as claimed in claim 28, wherein the spindle rod is extendable out of the retaining rod proportionately to a pivoting travel of the door.

31. The door check as claimed in claim 28, wherein the spindle rod extends substantially in a straight manner, and wherein the retaining rod extends substantially in a straight manner.

32. The door check as claimed in claim 28, wherein the retaining rod sets a disk mounted in a fixed position into a rotary movement, and wherein the disk is configured to be stopped in a contactless manner by an electrically drivable blocking arrangement.

33. The door check as claimed in claim 28, wherein a bearing for a spindle rod is arranged on the retaining housing.

34. The door check as claimed in claim 28, wherein a cup portion, into which the retaining rod is configured to be at least partly introduced, is attached to the retaining housing.

35. The door check as claimed in claim 28, wherein an electromagnetically acting brake blocks a disk driven by the door check, and wherein the electromagnetically acting brake stops the disk driven by the door check in a contactless manner.

36. A door check for a vehicle door, comprising: a retaining rod which is configured to be attached to one of the two door arrangement parts door and door frame, a retaining housing which is configured to be attached to the other door arrangement part, wherein a spindle rod is fitted in the spindle nut.

37. The door check as claimed in claim 37, wherein the spindle nut is arranged in an end region of the retaining rod.

38. The door check as claimed in claim 37, wherein the spindle nut converts an axial movement of the retaining rod into a rotary movement of the spindle rod.

39. The door check as claimed in claim 38, wherein the disk is configured as a permanent-magnetic armature disk having at least two magnetic poles, and that the electrically drivable blocking arrangement acts on the permanent-magnetic armature disk by electromagnetic force action, and wherein the permanent-magnetic armature disk has a signal-generating sensor, and wherein the signal-generating sensor detects revolutions of the permanent-magnetic armature disk.

40. The door check as claimed in claim 36, wherein the retaining rod sets a disk mounted in a fixed position into a rotary movement, and wherein the disk is configured to be stopped in a contactless manner by an electrically drivable blocking arrangement.

41. The door check as claimed in claim 40, wherein the disk is configured as a permanent-magnetic armature disk having at least two magnetic poles, and that the electrically drivable blocking arrangement acts on the permanent-magnetic armature disk by electromagnetic force action, and wherein the permanent-magnetic armature disk is connected to the spindle rod for conjoint rotation.

42. A door check for a vehicle door, comprising a retaining rod which is configured to be attached to one of the two door arrangement parts door and door frame, a retaining housing which is configured to be attached to the other door arrangement part, wherein the retaining rod sets a disk mounted in a fixed position into a rotary movement, and wherein the disk is configured to be stopped in a contactless manner by an electrically drivable blocking arrangement.

43. The door check as claimed in claim 42, wherein the disk is configured as a permanent-magnetic armature disk having at least two magnetic poles, and that the electrically drivable blocking arrangement acts on the permanent-magnetic armature disk by electromagnetic force action.

44. The door check as claimed in claim 42, wherein the electrically drivable blocking arrangement is configured as an electromagnet, wherein the electromagnet is provided as a coil arrangement which forms at least four magnetic poles.

45. The door check as claimed in claim 44, wherein the electromagnet and the permanent-magnetic armature disk form components of an electrical braking arrangement, and wherein the braking arrangement stops a rotary movement of the permanent-magnetic armature disk in a contactless manner.

46. The door check as claimed in claim 45, wherein a mechanical braking arrangement is arranged the retaining housing, wherein the electrical braking arrangement acting on the retaining rod is provided outside the mechanical braking arrangement likewise acting on the retaining rod, wherein the mechanical braking arrangement is guided along the extension of the retaining rod in a manner offset in parallel to a surface side of the retaining rod, wherein the mechanical braking arrangement is pretensioned against at least one of the surface sides by a spring member, wherein at least one of the surface sides has profiling along an extension of the retaining rod, wherein at least one of the surface sides has profiling along an extension of the retaining rod, wherein the profiling at least regionally comprises one of a friction lining and a brake lining, and wherein the profiling has at least one catching position for the vehicle door.

47. The door check as claimed in claim 42, wherein an electromagnetically acting brake blocks the disk driven by the retaining rod, and wherein a sensor selected from the group comprising a distance sensor, an obstacle sensor, an inclination sensor, an accident sensor and a rollover sensor triggers the electromagnetically acting brake.

Description

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] The invention is explained in more detail in the following text with reference to the accompanying drawings on the basis of a preferred exemplary embodiment.

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a preferred exemplary embodiment of a door check according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0040] FIG. 2 shows an exploded illustration of the door check from FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a door check 10 for connecting a vehicle door 8, shown schematically as a dot-dash line, in an articulated manner to a door frame 6, shown schematically as a dot-dash line, of a vehicle body, in a closed state of the vehicle door 8.

[0042] By means of a joint, the vehicle door 8 is attached pivotably to the door frame 6, such that an axis of rotation of the vehicle door 8 is at least parallel to an axis of rotation of a joint 12. Accommodated in the joint 12 is a rivet pin 16, wherein the rivet pin 16 is mounted in a cylindrical cutout 18 in a retaining rod 20 of the door check 10. The retaining rod 20 is in this case attached rotatably to the joint 12 in a first end region 21a of the retaining rod 20. In this case, the retaining rod 20 extends in a straight manner and has a cavity 23 in its interior. An end of the retaining rod 20 that is away from the joint 12 in this case forms a second end region 21b of the retaining rod 20.

[0043] The door check 10 furthermore comprises a retaining housing 13, which surrounds the retaining rod 20 and in which the retaining rod 20 is accommodated so as to be displaceable along its extension. The retaining housing 13 comprises an upper portion 13a and a lower portion 13b which are fixed together by two housing rivet pins 34a, 34b. Both the upper portion 13a and the lower portion 13b are in this case manufactured as extruded parts. Arranged in each case between the upper portion 13a and the retaining rod 20 and between the lower portion 13b and the retaining rod 20 is an extruded part in the form of a hollow-cylindrical spacer 15a, 15b. Fastening-means receiving portions 17a, 17b are formed in each case on the hollow-cylindrical spacers 15a, 15b on a side facing the joint 12. The hollow-cylindrical spacers 15a, 15b are provided in order to space the upper portion 13a and the lower portion 13b in parallel from the retaining rod 20.

[0044] Both the upper portion 13a and the lower portion 13b of the retaining housing 13 comprise (see FIG. 2) a fastening-means receiving portion 33a, a cylindrical cavity portion 33b and a portion with legs 40a, 40b. The fastening-means receiving portion 33a is in this case located in a region of the retaining housing 13 that faces the joint 12, and the portion with the legs 40a, 40b is located in a region of the retaining housing 13 that is away from the joint 12. The cylindrical cavity portion 33b is located between the fastening-means receiving portion 33a and the legs 40a, 40b. The fastening-means receiving portions 17a and 33a and the fastening-means receiving portions 17b and 33b together each form a receiving space for fastening means 14a, 14b, wherein the fastening means 14a, 14b are in the form of screws 14a, 14b in the present case. By means of the screws 14a, 14b, the door check 10 is attached to the vehicle door 8.

[0045] In an extension direction from the first end region 21a to the second end region 21b of the retaining rod 20, a respective plastic lining 22a, 22b is formed on two opposite surface sides 19a, 19b of the retaining rod 20. The surface sides 19a, 19b and the plastic linings 22a, 22b in this case face the cylindrical cavity portion 33b of the upper portion 13a and of the lower portion 13b of the retaining housing 13. The plastic linings 22a, 22b and the retaining rod 20 additionally each have, on the two surface sides 19a, 19b, two catching positions 24a, 24b which are in the form of depressions 24a, b.

[0046] Introduced in the cylindrical cavity portion 33b of the retaining housing 13 is a mechanical braking arrangement 26 which is arranged above or below the first end region 21a of the retaining rod 20 in a closed state of the door check 10. The construction of the mechanical braking arrangement 26 can be seen better in the exploded illustration in FIG. 2 than in FIG. 1. The mechanical braking arrangement 26 comprises an upper component 26a and a lower component 26b, wherein the upper component 26a is in material contact with the plastic lining 22a and the lower component 26b is in material contact with the plastic lining 22b. At least the upper component part 26a of the mechanical braking arrangement 26 in this case comprises a slide sleeve 28 which is accommodated in the cylindrical cavity portion 33b of the retaining housing 13 and for its part accommodates a spring member 30, wherein the spring member 30 pretensions the upper component 26a against the lower component 26b in that the spring member 30 bears, at its one end, against a closure 31 attached firmly to the cylindrical cavity portion 33b, such that brake members 32a, 32b are pressed against the plastic linings 22a, 22b. Accordingly, the closure 31 forms a counterbearing for a force action of the spring member 30. Preferably, the mechanical braking arrangement 26 stops or brakes an opening process or a closing process of the vehicle door 8 at the catching positions 24a, 24b.

[0047] In addition, a stop damper 36 is attached to the retaining housing 13 in the region of the upper mechanical braking arrangement 26a, said stop damper 36 reducing noise and ensuring a more comfortable sensation for a user when opening the vehicle door, in that the stop damper butts against rigid components of the second end region 21b at the end of the opening process.

[0048] FIG. 1 shows that the two legs 40a, 40b extend substantially parallel to the retaining rod 20 on a side of the retaining housing 13 away from the joint 12 and are arranged in a plane offset in parallel to the plastic linings 22a, 22b. In order to reduce weight, the legs 40a, 40b each have a substantially rectangular cavity 42a, 42b. The size and shape of the cavities 42a, 42b are in this case advantageously adapted to the specific requirements and can generally be configured in a variable manner.

[0049] On a side of the legs 40a, 40b away from the joint 12, a pin-shaped cavity 44a, 44b is in each case provided, wherein a central axis extends through the pin-shaped cavities 44a, 44b in parallel with the axis of rotation of the joint 12. The pin-shaped cavity 44a, 44b has the shape of a cylinder, wherein the cylinder does not have a closed envelope, such that an angular range is left open along the extension of the cylindrical cavity 44a, 44b and a cup portion 46 is able to be inserted into the pin-shaped cavities 44a, 44b by means of pin-shaped extensions 48a, 48b. As a result, the cup portion 46 is connected stably to the retaining housing 13. Dimensions of the pin-shaped extensions 48a, 48b are in this case adapted such that they are able to be introduced into the pin-shaped cavities 44a, 44b with a precise fit.

[0050] Located in the internal region of the cup portion 46, which is concealed in FIG. 1 by an opaque shell of the cup portion 46, is an electrical braking device 60 (see FIG. 2) which is in the form of an electromagnetic single-winding rotary actuator 60. The electromagnetic single-winding rotary actuator 60 brakes a rotary movement. Rotary actuators, which include the single-winding rotary actuator 60, generally comprise a coil arrangement, a stator and an armature. If the coil is energized, then magnetic poles of the coil and magnetic poles of the armature interact with one another such that a torque is generated. In this case, the coil arrangement represents at least four magnetic poles, which are arranged in an alternating manner (plus pole, minus pole, plus pole, minus pole) at an angular spacing of 90°. In the present case, the armature is in the form of a permanent-magnetic armature disk 56 and the coil arrangement is accommodated in an electromagnet 62. The permanent-magnetic armature disk 56 comprises at least two magnetic poles (plus pole, minus pole) which are arranged in opposite regions of the permanent-magnetic armature disk 56. As a result, the permanent-magnetic armature disk 56 is rotated at most through ±45° given a correspondingly strongly selected magnetic field when the electromagnet 62 is energized. A maximum rotational angle of the armature disk 56 is denoted actuating range. The electromagnetic single-winding rotary actuator 60 serves to automatically fix the vehicle door 8 as soon as it is triggered by a sensor system (not illustrated). The constituent parts of the electromagnetic single-winding rotary actuator 60 or the constituent parts which contribute to its functional scope are shown in the exploded illustration in FIG. 2. A displacement of the retaining rod 20 and the opening process of the door check are directly coupled to the rotary movement of the armature disk 56. If the rotary movement of the armature disk 56 stops, the door check 10 and the retaining rod 20 are stopped. A rotational angle of the armature disk 56 of 45° corresponds to a displacement of the retaining rod 20 of one centimeter. Preferably, a rotational angle of 45° corresponds to a displacement of the retaining rod of half a centimeter. The greater the number of turns of the spindle rod 50 per unit length, the more precisely the vehicle door 8 can be fixed.

[0051] A spindle rod 50 is received in the cavity 23 at the end of said spindle rod 50 facing the retaining housing 13 and is mounted in a deep groove ball bearing 70 at its end away from the retaining housing 13. In the second end region 21b of the retaining rod 20, the spindle rod 50 is in this case arranged in a rotatable manner in a spindle nut 52, wherein the spindle nut 52 is attached to the second end region 21b of the retaining rod 20 for conjoint rotation. In a direction from the first end region 21a to the second end region 21b of the retaining rod 13, the permanent-magnetic armature disk 56, which is connected to the spindle rod 50 for conjoint rotation, is arranged behind the spindle nut 52 in the closed state of the vehicle door 8.

[0052] As a result of the closing process or the opening process of the vehicle door 8, the spindle rod 50 is set into a rotary movement by the spindle nut 52, such that the permanent-magnetic armature disk 56 rotates at the same rotary speed as the spindle rod 50. In this case, the electromagnet 62 is arranged in the direction of extension of the spindle rod 50, wherein the electromagnet 62 has a central cylindrical cutout 63 through which the spindle rod 50 passes in a contactless manner. The electromagnet is in this case held rigidly in its position relative to the retaining housing 13 by means of its mounting in the magnet housing 64, which is for its part in turn accommodated in the cup portion 46, such that the electromagnet 62 is not in material contact with the spindle rod 50. Fitted on the spindle rod 50, between the permanent-magnetic armature disk 56 and the electromagnet 62, is a thrust washer 58. The thrust washer 58 in this case represents friction protection between the electromagnet 62 and permanent-magnetic armature disk 56. In addition, the thrust washer 58 ensures that axial guiding precision is ensured throughout the lifetime of the door check 10. On a side of the cup portion 46 remote from the joint 12, the deep groove ball bearing 70 for rotatably mounting the spindle rod 50 in the cup portion 46 is provided.

[0053] The electromagnet 62 and the permanent-magnetic armature disk 56 together form the so-called electromagnetic single-winding rotary actuator 60, such that the energizing of the electromagnet 62, which is actuated by the sensor system, results in the armature disk 56 being able to rotate at most through 45° before it is fixed by an electromagnetic force action.

[0054] This embodiment of the invention now functions as follows:

[0055] FIG. 1 corresponds to the position of the door check 10 with a closed vehicle door 8. During the opening process or during the closing process of the vehicle door 8, a tensile force or a compressive force, respectively, is exerted on the retaining housing 13, with the result that the retaining rod 20 is displaced relative to the retaining housing 13, fixed to the body, in a manner corresponding to a movement of the opening process or of the closing process. As a result of this axial displacement of the retaining housing along the retaining rod 20, the rotationally fixed spindle nut 52 is simultaneously also displaced axially. As a result, the spindle rod 50, which is accommodated in the spindle nut 52, is set into a rotational movement. The permanent-magnetic armature disk 56 is rotationally fixed on the spindle rod 50, such that it exhibits an identical rotary speed to the spindle rod 50.

[0056] The opening process of the vehicle door can now be stopped by means of the mechanical braking arrangement 26 in that the retaining rod 20 is moved along the mechanical braking arrangement and the mechanical braking arrangement 26 stops the door check 10 at the preferred catching positions 24a, 24b.

[0057] In this case, the second catching position 24b corresponds to a fully open vehicle door, wherein the stop damper 36 in this case butts against the second end region 21b of the retaining rod 20.

[0058] If the sensor system detects that another road user or some other object would collide with the vehicle door during the opening process, the sensor system emits a signal which energizes the electromagnet 62. The energizing of the electromagnet 62 has the result that the permanent-magnetic armature disk 56 rotates at most through a further 45°, since the two-pole permanent-magnetic armature disk 56 is fixed in a contactless manner by electromagnetic forces by the four-pole electromagnet 62. As a result, the rotary movement of the spindle rod 50, to which the permanent-magnetic armature disk 56 is attached for conjoint rotation, is stopped at the same time, such that the axial movement of the retaining rod 20 is automatically stopped and the opening or closing process of the vehicle door 8 is stopped by the door check 10. The greater the number of turns of the spindle rod 50 per unit length, the more precisely the vehicle door 8 can be fixed.

[0059] Furthermore, the sensor system can be configured such that the door check 10 is also stopped by the energizing of the electromagnet 62 during a closing process. For example, the sensor system could detect if a body part such as a finger would be jammed between the vehicle door 8 and door frame 6 if the closing process were to continue.

[0060] The invention has been explained above on the basis of a preferred exemplary embodiment, in which the door check is fixed by a spindle rod 50 which is accommodated in an axially displaceable manner in a cavity 23 in the retaining rod 20, wherein a spindle nut 52 is arranged in the retaining rod 20, which sets the spindle rod 50 in rotation upon a relative movement of the retaining rod 20 with respect to the retaining housing 13, and wherein a disk 58 attached to the spindle rod 50 is co-rotated, said disk 58 being able to be stopped in a contactless manner by an electrically drivable blocking means 62. It has to be understood that the disk 58 can also be stopped by contact, for example when the blocking means has a brake lining which comes into contact with an end face of the disk 58 when triggered. If the blocking means is configured to be electrically drivable to this end, this can take place in the form of an electromagnetic actuator which pushes a brake lining connected to an armature of the actuator forward in the direction of the disk 58, for example in the manner of an axially displaceable armature of an electromagnet. In this case, the brake lining comes into abutment against the end face, affording a large area, of the rotating disk and blocks the latter. In addition to the brake lining, further form-fitting means may protrude axially from the pushed-forward part, which allow a form-fitting engagement; to this end, the disk then has corresponding cutouts into which the protrusions can penetrate and which prevent further rotation of the disk. In order to achieve a better form fit, the disk can also be equipped with elevations and depressions which correspond to elevations and depressions of the brake lining, such that mutual rotation is prevented when a brake position is reached. As a result, a particularly small further rotational angle of the disk is advantageously achieved, and so very precise abutment of the blocking means results in very rapid stopping of the retaining rod 20.

[0061] The invention has been described above on the basis of an exemplary embodiment in which the relative movement of the retaining rod 20 and retaining housing 13 brought about a rotation of the disk 58 which was then stopped in a contactless manner by a coil. It has to be understood that the relative movement of the retaining rod 20 and retaining housing 13 is also able to be represented by a link mechanism, the links of which are coupled together with one or the other part, and that at least one part of the link mechanism is able to be stopped by an electrically drivable blocking means. To this end, the link mechanism can, in a similar manner to the described exemplary embodiment, set a disk, or an extension of a link, into rotary movement and be stopped magnetically by a coil. The link mechanism can be configured in a two-dimensional or three-dimensional manner and preferably couples the second end region 21b of the retaining rod 20 and the retaining housing 13, wherein an elongate extension of the retaining rod 20 is in this case advantageously not necessary, but rather the latter can have a curved shape known from practice. Furthermore, the links of the link mechanism are pivotable in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the retaining rod, such that the pivoting movement of the links can take place in the vehicle door 8 without the retaining rod 20 being impeded. An extensive housing with a cup 46 and legs 40a, 40b are then no longer required. It is possible to stop, in a contactless manner, that part of the link mechanism that is able to be stopped by an electrically drivable blocking means, as described above for the disk 58; however, stopping by contact will preferably take place, for example via a brake lining that is actuated by a solenoid valve. That part of the link mechanism that is able to be stopped by the blocking means can also be embodied as part of a piston/cylinder arrangement or of a spindle-nut/spindle-rod arrangement.

[0062] The invention has been explained above on the basis of an exemplary embodiment in which the rotary movement of the disk 58 takes place via a spindle rod 50 carrying the disk 58. It has to be understood that the disk 58 can, alternatively, also have a circumferential thread which meshes with a lateral thread of the retaining rod 20 and which is stopped, i.e. in a contactless manner, in the described manner by the described electromagnet. Although a reliable gear coupling to the retaining rod 20 is necessary to this end, the latter can be configured in a curved manner in a known way, and the disk that is provided with an external thread and meshes with the toothing on the retaining rod 20 then has a plurality of permanent-magnetic poles, which are stopped in the described manner. In this case, the electromagnet is not configured coaxially with the retaining rod but is arranged perpendicularly thereto, for example fastened to the retaining housing.