Door drive for operating a sliding door of a vehicle

Abstract

Door drive (10) for driving a sliding door (110) of a vehicle between a release position (FP) and a closed position (SP), comprising a carrier plate (20) for mounting the sliding door (110) and a bearing device (30) for vehicle-fixed arrangement, wherein the carrier plate (20) has at least one first guide ball (40) with a first guide slide (42), which is linearly movable in a first guide rail (44) of the bearing device (30), wherein the carrier plate (20) further comprises at least one support ball (60) with a support slide (62), which is linearly movable in a support rail (64) of the bearing device (30), characterized in that the at least one first guide ball (40) with the first guide slide (42) and the first guide rail (44) forms a linear motor for a relative movement of the carrier plate (20) to the bearing device (30), wherein the first guide rail (44) has at least a section containing a permanent magnet (70), wherein the first guide ball (40) has an electrical winding (80). or wherein the first guide rail (44) has at least sectionally the electrical winding (80), wherein the first guide ball (40) has the permanent magnet (70).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a door drive for the drive of a sliding door of a vehicle and to a sliding door device for such a vehicle.

[0002] It is well known that vehicles, especially motor vehicles, use sliding doors to open and close access to the vehicle. These sliding doors can be moved back and forth between a closed and a released position by a sliding motion. There are essentially two solutions. Manual sliding doors can be moved between the different positions by the user's hand and physical force in a mechanically guided manner. Automatic movement options for known sliding doors are also already in use. These typically employ electric motors which, with the help of mechanical transmissions, for example, spindle drives, enable the sliding door to move automatically between the closed and released positions.

[0003] Patent application US 4,869,544 A discloses a sliding door for a motor vehicle with an opening system consisting of guide rails. German patent application DE 10 2008 012 854 A1 discloses a sliding door arrangement for a motor vehicle with a sliding door connected to the vehicle by a support and guide mechanism. German patent application DE 103 93 525 B4 discloses a contactless short-range communication device for a sliding door. German patent application DE 101 30 313 A1 discloses a profiled, side sliding door for a motor vehicle with a guide structure. German patent application DE 10 2005 009 714 A1 discloses a side door for a motor vehicle that can be moved by means of a drive unit.

[0004] A disadvantage of the known solutions is that both manual and automated drives require a relatively high amount of force. Particularly with automated drives, this results in a relatively heavy drive mechanism and therefore high costs. Finally, a mechanical drive for a sliding door in a vehicle is subject to the corresponding wear and tear inherent in the mechanical drive system.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to at least partially overcome the disadvantages described above. In particular, the object of the present invention is to design an automated sliding door for a motor vehicle in a cost-effective and simple manner.

[0006] The foregoing problem is solved by a door drive with the features of claim 1 and a sliding door device with the features of claim 10. Further features and details of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims, the description, and the drawings. Features and details described in connection with the door drive according to the invention naturally also apply in connection with the sliding door device according to the invention, and vice versa, so that the disclosure regarding the individual aspects of the invention always refers, or can refer, to each other.

[0007] According to the invention, a door drive is equipped for operating a vehicle's sliding door between a release position and a closed position. For this purpose, the door drive comprises a mounting plate for attaching the sliding door and a bearing assembly for vehicle-mounted installation. The mounting plate is equipped with at least one first guide ball and a first guide slide, which is linearly movable within a first guide rail of the bearing assembly. Furthermore, the mounting plate comprises at least one support ball and a support slide, which is linearly movable within a support rail of the bearing assembly. In addition, the at least one guide ball, the first guide slide, and the first guide rail are configured as a linear motor for relative movement of the mounting plate to the bearing assembly.

[0008] According to the invention, the door drive is designed for the automated movement of the sliding door between the release position and the closed position. For this purpose, the door drive must provide the following mechanical functions. Firstly, this involves the bearing or movable bearing of the sliding door. This is provided by the guide balls and the support balls, and secondly by the opposing rails in the form of the guide rail and the support rail. These allow for a guided linear movement of the respective guide ball or support ball along the guide rail or support rail, thus achieving a defined movement pattern and control for the sliding door.

[0009] To enable the guided movement to be carried out automatically, i.e., in an automatically driven manner, a linear motor is provided in the embodiment of the invention. To significantly reduce costs and weight, this linear motor is integrated into the guiding function. This is achieved by the first guide ball, together with the first guide carriage and the first guide rail, forming a linear motor in the form of an electric linear motor. For the purposes of the present invention, an electric linear motor is understood to be a motor that combines an electric drive with an electric winding. This is the classic electric linear motor principle and is applied to the linear movement of the guide ball or the guide carriage in the guide rail.The fundamental functionality of the present invention is unaffected by the relationship between the winding and the permanent magnet. The various alternative positions for the electrical winding and the permanent magnet, fundamentally enabling the linear motor functionality, will be described in more detail later.

[0010] According to the invention, the support plate can now serve to attach the sliding door. In other words, the support plate carries the sliding door and can thus be moved back and forth between the release and closed positions together with the sliding door. This movement is guided by the linear mobility of the guide ball in the guide rail. The support ball and the support rail can also provide such a guiding function, but this is not necessary. It is sufficient if the support ball has a corresponding force-bearing function with its own support lever arm that is distinct from the lever arm of the guide rail and the guide ball, and thus supports the weight of the sliding door against the vehicle body.This means that, in principle, the support rail can be designed more simply and lightly, as it does not necessarily need to provide its own guiding function like the guide rail. While the guide rail is preferably designed with two lateral guide walls to ensure a lateral and tight, or precisely defined, linear movement of the guide ball, the support rail can also have only a single support wall to provide the described support function. Of course, there can also be advantages if the support rail and the guide rail are identical or essentially identical. This can be particularly useful with regard to the use of identical parts within the door drive system.

[0011] The respective end position of the sliding door, i.e. the release position at one end and the closing position at the other end, correlates with corresponding end positions of the guide ball or the support ball at the corresponding end of the support rail or the first guide rail.

[0012] It should also be noted that additional guide rails can, of course, be arranged to further improve the guiding and / or drive functionality. These preferably correspond to additional guide balls with additional guide slides. Thus, it is conceivable that a second, third, fourth, or fifth combination of guide ball, guide rail, and guide slide, which will be explained later, could provide a corresponding improvement and extension of the present invention.

[0013] It can be advantageous if, in a door drive according to the invention, the support plate has at least one second guide ball with a second guide carriage, which is linearly movable within a second guide rail of the bearing assembly. This second guide ball is preferably identical to the first guide ball. The same applies to the identical design of the first and second guide carriages and the first and second guide rails. Preferably, the guide rails are arranged parallel or substantially parallel to each other, as will be explained later. It is particularly preferred if the second guide ball, together with the second guide carriage and the second guide rail, also forms a linear motor. Such a dual drive system allows for a more stable design and a higher force output from this linear drive for moving the sliding door.The double guide also ensures improved sliding or rolling bearing performance, and thus more precise guidance. Of course, multi-stage guides are also conceivable for the reliable guidance and support of door forces as described in the present invention.

[0014] It can also be advantageous if, in a door drive according to the invention, the first guide rail has a permanent magnet at least partially, and in particular completely or substantially completely, wherein the first guide carriage and / or the first guide ball has an electrical winding. This embodiment thus introduces a static permanent magnet which does not move relative to the vehicle body, since it is formed by or arranged on the guide rail. Preferably, a combination of guide rail and permanent magnet is provided such that the permanent magnet directly forms the guide rail in order to avoid additional material and weight.The electrical winding, which interacts with this permanent magnet to form the linear motor and its corresponding drive functionality, is arranged either in the guide carriage and / or in the guide ball. Due to the desired free rotation of the guide ball, the arrangement of the electrical winding in the guide carriage is preferred.

[0015] As an alternative to the aforementioned embodiment, it is conceivable that in a door drive according to the invention, the first guide rail has an electrical winding at least partially, and in particular completely or substantially completely, wherein the first guide carriage and / or the first guide ball has a permanent magnet. This is to be understood as the alternative embodiment to the preceding paragraph, in which the guide rail now has the electrical winding fixed to the vehicle, since it is arranged in the bearing device. In this embodiment, the guide carriage and / or guide ball are designed with the permanent magnet, which accordingly moves relative to the bearing device and thus also relative to the vehicle body.Both options are fundamentally conceivable here: the permanent magnet can be configured as a guide ball, and the guide carriage can be configured as a permanent magnet. In principle, both embodiments described in the preceding paragraphs are equivalent, as they merely represent a reversal of function and do not alter the fundamental linear drive concept according to the invention.

[0016] It is also advantageous if, in a door drive according to the invention, the first guide rail and / or the support rail has an opening section for moving the sliding door from the closed position to an intermediate position and at least one release section for moving the sliding door from the intermediate position to the release position. This leads to a simple design in the guidance and drive of a complex movement of the sliding door. Sliding doors are typically arranged in the closed position along the vehicle body or as part of the vehicle's outer skin. This should be as gap-free and edge-free, or at least as close to gaps and edges as possible, in order to minimize the vehicle's air resistance at the outer skin. This means that in this closed position, direct sliding to the rear to open an access opening to the vehicle is not possible.Rather, the sliding door must first be released from its retracted position in order to then, in a second step, move forward or backward parallel to the vehicle's exterior to provide access to the interior. This two-part movement, a complex task, is now achieved through a simple and cost-effective design in the guide rails and support rail. The first opening section is designed to allow the sliding door, and consequently the support plate, to be released from its closed position. Specifically, this movement occurs transversely, or essentially transversely, to the vehicle's longitudinal axis and direction of travel.The sliding door, together with the support plate, is moved along the opening section, i.e., outwards, to a free intermediate position. In this position, lateral movement along the vehicle's longitudinal direction, or along the direction of travel, is now possible. This second part of the movement then proceeds from the intermediate position reached at the end of the opening section and is guided by the release section from the intermediate position to the release position.

[0017] In the embodiment according to the preceding paragraph, it can be advantageous if the opening section and the release section are straight or essentially straight and are oriented at an angle to each other, particularly in the range between 80° and 140°. This allows for a simple, cost-effective, and, above all, low-friction linear movement in the respective section. This is particularly evident in conjunction with a rolling guide ball or a rolling support ball. The angled arrangement allows for a deflection in the guide ball or support ball, essentially in the form of a kink or curve between the individual sections, thus enabling the complex movement functionality to be implemented simply and cost-effectively. The angled arrangement, particularly in the range between approximately 80° and approximately 140°, allows for a simple and cost-effective implementation of the complex movement functionality as desired.140° means that, in particular, the lateral movement out of the outer skin of the body and the subsequent sliding door being moved at an angle to the rear or forward are made simple and cost-effective.

[0018] It can also be advantageous if, in a door drive according to the invention, the support rail and the first guide rail, and in particular all guide rails, are aligned at least partially parallel or substantially parallel to each other. A parallel or substantially parallel configuration allows parallel sliding and thus also parallel linear movement of the individual balls, i.e., the guide balls and the support ball. This reduces the complexity of the movement and thus also the complexity of the construction. The entire movement is therefore identical or substantially identical, so that, in particular, jamming or locking can be avoided in an undesirable manner.

[0019] It is further advantageous if, in a door drive according to the invention, the support ball, support carriage, and support rail also form a linear motor. This, particularly in combination with multiple guide balls, multiple guide carriages, and multiple guide rails, which are also designed as linear motors, results in enhanced drive function and improved guidance function. The individual drive power of the linear motors can thus be reduced, enabling a lighter and more cost-effective design of the guide rails and / or support rail. At the same time, a high level of jamming resistance and consistent drive functionality, even with heavy sliding doors, are achieved.

[0020] It can also be advantageous if, in a door drive according to the invention, the first guide rail and / or the support rail has a detent position at at least one end, for engaging the first guide ball and / or the support ball. This results in mechanical and / or magnetic locking in the respective end position. Particularly in the closed position of the sliding door, this detent preferably correlates with the sliding door engaging, locking, or even locking in the closed position. In other words, the linear motor can now be dedicated exclusively to drive power thanks to this additional detent functionality, so that this additional functionality no longer needs to be provided by the linear drive itself via a separate detent torque or detent mechanism in the respective end position.By focusing the linear motor on the main task of the drive between the opening and release positions, a reduction in complexity, weight, and cost of this drive method can be achieved.

[0021] The present invention also relates to a sliding door device for a vehicle, comprising a sliding door and a door drive according to the invention. The sliding door is attached to the support plate, and the bearing device is fixed to the vehicle. A sliding door device according to the invention thus offers the same advantages as those explained in detail with reference to a door drive according to the invention.

[0022] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the drawings. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description can be essential to the invention individually or in any combination. The drawings schematically show: Fig. 1 an embodiment of a sliding door device according to the invention, Fig. 2 the embodiment of a storage device, Fig. 3 the embodiment of a sliding door device according to the invention, Fig. 4 a schematic partial section through the storage device, Fig. 5 a sliding door device according to the invention with the sliding door in the closed position, Fig. 6 the embodiment of the Fig. 5 with the sliding door in intermediate position, Fig. 7 the embodiments of the Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 with the sliding door in the release position, Fig. 8 an embodiment of a linear drive in a door drive according to the invention, Fig. 9 another embodiment of a linear drive in a door drive according to the invention and Fig. 10 another embodiment of a linear drive according to the invention in a door drive according to the invention.

[0023] In Fig. Figure 1 schematically depicts a sliding door device 100 according to the invention, comprising a sliding door 110. The arrow indicates the desired opening movement, which is to be performed in two stages: first outwards in a first step and then backwards in a second step. Three balls are provided for guiding, supporting, and driving this movement. These are a first guide ball 40, a second guide ball 50, and a support ball 60. The correlation of this support ball 60 and the two guide balls 40 and 50 will be explained in more detail below.

[0024] Fig. 2 shows the support plate 20 according to Fig. 1. A schematic top view shows a corresponding bearing device 30. This bearing device 30 is intended to be fixed to the vehicle and can be, for example, bolted, welded, or riveted in place. The bearing device 30 is designed here with corresponding rails for the respective balls of the support plate 20. Thus, a first guide rail 44 is provided for the first guide ball 40, a second guide rail 54 for the second guide ball 50, and a support rail 64 for the support ball 60. It is also clearly visible that the two guide rails 44 and 54 are double-walled to provide linear guidance on both sides for the desired movement of the respective guide ball 40 or 50. For the support function on the support rail 64, a single support wall is sufficient to ensure the support function with reduced guiding performance.

[0025] Also in the Fig. 2. It is clearly visible that the individual guide rails 44 and 54, as well as the support rail 64, are designed to be parallel to each other in sections and, in particular, with identical profiles in order to enable the complex movement to be carried out jam-free, simply, and cost-effectively. The individual sections are specifically adapted to the desired movement function and are designed with particular reference to the Fig. 5, Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 explained in more detail. The individual sections, namely the opening sections OA and the release sections FA, are arranged at angles to each other, here with an intermediate angle of approximately 130°.

[0026] The Fig. Figure 3 shows the assembly of the design forms of the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 in schematic representation. The bearing device 30 is fixedly arranged on the vehicle and is acted upon by the three balls, i.e. the two guide balls 40 and 50 and the support ball 60, in the respective rail, i.e. the support rail 64 and the guide rails 44 and 54. The Fig. Figure 3 shows the opening position (OP).

[0027] In Fig. Figure 4 shows again how, in the schematic cross-section of the guide carriage 42, a defined rotary movement of the guide ball 40 is permitted during linear movement along the first guide rail 44. The sandwich-like construction of the bearing device 30, which encloses the first guide ball 40 and thus also the support plate 20 from both above and below, is also visible here.

[0028] The Fig. 5, Fig. 6 and Fig. Figure 7 shows the opening movement in three steps. In the first step, the movement moves from the closed position SP according to the Fig. 5 along the opening sections OA of the support rail 64 or the guide rails 44 and 54 the sliding door 110 in intermediate position ZP according to Fig. 6 moves. There, the movement is redirected via the transfer of guide balls 40 and 50 into the release sections FA. The same applies to the support ball 60. Now the movement takes place along a second alignment parallel to the vehicle into the Fig. 5, Fig. 6 to Fig. 7 to the right and further back, so that the intermediate position ZP is now the release position FP according to Fig. 7 will be reachable.

[0029] To drive the movements described above in a linear manner, a linear motor is provided in at least one of the guide rails 44 or 54 in correlation with the guide balls 40 and 50 or the guide carriages 42 and 52. The three possible configurations are shown in the Fig. 8, Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 explained or illustrated in more detail. For example, the Fig. 8 a solution in which the first guide rail 44, the second guide rail 54 and / or the support rail 64 is designed as a permanent magnet 70. A corresponding electrical winding 80 is provided here in the first guide carriage 42, the second guide carriage 52 and / or the support carriage 62 for the first guide ball 40, the second guide ball 50 and / or the support ball 60.

[0030] The Fig. 9 and Fig. Figure 10 shows a solution in which the corresponding electrical winding 80 is formed in both cases by the first guide rail 44, the second guide rail 54 and / or the support rail 64. The two variants according to the Fig. 9 and Fig. Ten differ in that in the Fig. 9 the permanent magnet 70 is formed by the first guide slide 42, the second guide slide 52 and / or the support slide 62, while according to Fig. 10 the permanent magnet 70 is provided as first guide ball 40, as second guide ball 50 and / or as support ball 60.

[0031] The preceding explanation of the embodiments describes the present invention solely by way of examples. Naturally, individual features of the embodiments can be freely combined with one another, provided this is technically feasible, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

[1] Door drive (10) for driving a sliding door (110) of a vehicle between a release position (FP) and a closing position (SP), comprising a carrier plate (20) for mounting the sliding door (110) and a bearing device (30) for vehicle-fixed arrangement, wherein the carrier plate (20) has at least one first guide ball (40) with a first guide slide (42), which is linearly movable in a first guide rail (44) of the bearing device (30), wherein the carrier plate (20) further comprises at least one support ball (60) with a support slide (62), which is linearly movable in a support rail (64) of the bearing device (30), characterized by , that at least one first guide ball (40) with the first guide slide (42) and the first guide rail (44) forms a linear motor for a relative movement of the carrier plate (20) to the bearing device (30), wherein the first guide rail (44) has at least a section containing a permanent magnet (70), wherein the first guide ball (40) has an electrical winding (80). or wherein the first guide rail (44) has at least sectionally the electrical winding (80), wherein the first guide ball (40) has the permanent magnet (70). [2] Door drive (10) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the carrier plate (20) has at least a second guide ball (50) with a second guide slide (52) which is linearly movable in a second guide rail (54) of the bearing device (30). [3] Door drive (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the first guide rail (44) has at least partially, in particular completely or substantially completely, the permanent magnet (70), wherein the first guide carriage (42) has the electrical winding (80). [4] Door drive (10) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized by , that the first guide rail (44) has at least sectionally, in particular completely or substantially completely, the electrical winding (80), wherein the first guide carriage (42) has the permanent magnet (70). [5] Door drive (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the first guide rail (44) and / or the support rail (64) has an opening section (OA) for moving the sliding door (110) from the closed position (SP) to an intermediate position (ZP) and at least one release section (FA) for moving the sliding door (110) from the intermediate position (ZP) to the release position (FP). [6] Door drive (10) according to claim 5, characterized bythat the opening section (OA) and the release section (FA) are straight or substantially straight and are oriented at an angle to each other, particularly in the range between 80° and 140°. [7] Door drive (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the support rail (64) and the first guide rail (44), in particular all guide rails (44, 54), are aligned at least sectionally parallel or substantially parallel to each other. [8] Door drive (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the support ball (60) also forms a linear motor with the support slide (62) and the support rail (64). [9] Door drive (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the first guide rail (44) and / or the support rail (64) has a detent position at at least one end for the first guide ball (40) and / or the support ball (60) to engage. [10] Sliding door device (100) for a vehicle, comprising a sliding door (110) and a door drive (10) with the features of one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the sliding door (110) is attached to the carrier plate (20) and the bearing device (30) is arranged fixed to the vehicle.

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