Locking actuator for automotive applications

Abstract

The subject of the invention is an actuator for a lock for a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (4) and further comprising an electric drive (5-9) mounted in the housing (4) and equipped with locking elements (11, 12) guided outwardly through an opening (15) in the housing (4). The electric drive (5-9) comprises at least one electric motor (5) for acting on the locking elements (11, 12), an output element (6), an output gear (7) meshing with the output element (6) and a gear wheel (8) meshing with the output gear (7). According to the invention, a manually actuable emergency actuation element (17, 18) is provided which engages with the gear wheel (8).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a locking actuator for automotive applications. This actuator includes a housing, further includes an electric drive device disposed within the housing, and includes a locking element guided outward through an opening of the housing. The electric drive device has at least one electric motor, an output gear meshing with an output element, and a gear wheel meshing with the output gear, and acts on the locking element.

[0002] A locking actuator having the structure described initially is described, for example, in International Publication No. WO 2019 / 068279 A1 from the applicant. Such a movable locking actuator or locking element ensures, particularly together with an electrical connection device for an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle, that a charging connector is removably installed in a charging socket using the locking element. This has been proven in principle.

[0003] Furthermore, such a locking actuator can also be used in different situations inside or on the vehicle. In any case, the electric drive device is usually supplied with the necessary electrical energy using a vehicle-side battery or an accumulator provided at this point. At this point, for example, if the battery in question no longer has a sufficient charge state, for example, after a longer idle time, the electrical energy supply may be disrupted. In such a case, for example, it becomes impossible to easily cancel the lock performed using the locking actuator or its locking element. This is where the invention lies.

[0004] Summary

[0005] The present invention is based on the technical problem of developing a locking actuator for automotive applications that enables emergency operation.

[0006] To address this technical challenge, a general locking actuator, within the scope of the present invention, is characterized by providing a manually operable emergency actuation element that engages with a gear wheel.

[0007] By incorporating the present invention into a manually actuated emergency actuating element that engages with a gear wheel, the associated lock actuator can be actuated at least manually even if the power supply for the electric motor fails or is interrupted, because in such a case the gear wheel for acting the locking element is moved using a manually actuated emergency actuating element that acts directly on the gear wheel. Emergency acts can, in principle, be performed for both emergency locking using the locking element and emergency unlocking using the locking element.

[0008] According to the present invention, the emergency actuation element is typically designed as an emergency release element, i.e., it generally ensures that a locking element, which is locked and extends from the housing in an exposed position, is returned to its unlocked and retracted positions. As a result, an automotive component that was locked using the locking element can be manually released. In a non-limiting embodiment, this could be a charging connector received in a charging socket. However, generally, it may also act on or (re)release other previously locked automotive components following the aforementioned manual emergency actuation or release.

[0009] For this purpose, the emergency actuation element is designed with two components: a disk and a flexible connecting means. The flexible connecting means may be, for example, a cable bonded to the disk. The disk typically engages with a pin in a pin receptacle on a gearwheel.

[0010] In this way, all rotational motion transmitted to the disk using the flexible connection means is transmitted to the gear wheel, so that the rotational motion of the disk by the pins that engage with the pin receptacle is ensured that the gear wheel is accompanied by the rotational motion of the disk.

[0011] To guide the flexible connecting means and, advantageously, the cable onto the disk, the disk typically has circumferential grooves for engaging with the associated flexible connecting means. Furthermore, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment, guides for the connecting means are also provided. Overall, the guides ensure that the connecting means are brought tangentially to the disk or the circumferential grooves of the disk.

[0012] It has proven particularly advantageous when the guide is designed as two parts having an inner guide and an outer guide. The inner guide is provided and formed inside the housing. The overall design can be such that the inner guide is connected to, for example, the cover of the housing. Herein, the present invention is based on the knowledge that housings are generally designed as two parts having a shell and a cover.

[0013] The external guide generally engages with the opening in the housing by the intermediate positioning of the seal. The seal is used to seal the external guide, and thus the outwardly guided flexible connecting means, against the housing. This is particularly important in light of the fact that such locking actuators, for automotive applications, are typically installed inside the body but are not necessarily protected from dust and moisture.

[0014] The locking element generally has a tooth profile that engages with a gear on the output worm; that is, the output worm is generally designed together with the gear that engages with the tooth profile of the locking element, and as a result, the rotation of the corresponding gear is converted into linear motion of the locking element by engaging with the gear with a tooth profile that generally extends in a straight line.

[0015] The locking element has a pin-like projection that engages with the opening of the housing via a seal. The seal seals the pin-like projection away from the opening of the housing, preventing spray water or, generally, moisture, dust, etc., from entering the inside of the housing. This is especially important because the components placed inside the housing, namely the output element, the output gear that meshes with the output element, and the disc as part of the emergency actuation element, are typically made of plastic material and are each plastic injection molded parts. Such plastic injection molded parts must be protected in particular from dust ingress to minimize wear.

[0016] The housing, consisting of a shell and cover, is also typically made of plastic material. The same applies to the guides, or inner and outer guides. Cables pulled to the outside of the housing through the outer guide can be equipped, for example, with a handle connected to the cable to facilitate manual operation of the cable. In fact, the cable is advantageously a Bowden cable having a Bowden cable core and a Bowden cable sleeve, and the handle is generally connected to the Bowden cable core. As a result, as mentioned above, the desired manual operation of the gear wheel can be performed and carried out in the process of emergency operation, particularly emergency unlocking.

[0017] As a result, locking actuators for automotive applications that function particularly safely and reliably become available. This is also applicable when the electrical energy source for the electric motor fails or when there is insufficient available power, because in such cases, a manually actuated emergency actuating element can be used to actuate the locking element in an emergency, and to release it, especially in an emergency. For this purpose, the emergency actuating element typically has a cable and handle at its end, and its manual actuation is transmitted to the locking element.

[0018] All of these are implemented in connection with the sealed and enclosed design of the housing to ensure that functional failure is not a concern even under unfavorable environmental conditions. Furthermore, the main design made of plastic material ensures low weight and low cost, and therefore the locking actuator according to the present invention is particularly intended for the described automotive applications.

[0019] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to drawings showing only one exemplary embodiment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0020] [Figure 1] Figure 1 schematically shows an electrical connection device connected to a locking actuator according to the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 shows an exploded view of the locking actuator. [Figure 3] Figure 3 shows the object in Figure 2 in the assembled and unassembled state of the housing.

[0021] Detailed description of the invention

[0022] Figure 1 shows an electrical connection device specifically for electric or hybrid vehicles. This electric or hybrid vehicle shows a body 1 and a portion of the installation opening 2 within the body 1 for receiving a charging socket 3 and a housing 4. The housing 4 belongs to a locking actuator, which is shown in detail in Figures 2 and 3 and will be described in more detail below.

[0023] Also visible is the electric drive unit 5-9, which is detailed below. The electric drive unit 5-9 is used to generate the adjustment motion of the locking elements 11 and 12. The locking elements 11 and 12 ensure that the charging connector 13, shown only in Figure 1, is detachably mounted to the charging socket 3. For this purpose, the charging connector 13 may be connected to a charging column (not shown) as part of a charging infrastructure not shown in detail.

[0024] According to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the electric drive device 5-9 initially consists of an electric motor 5 and an output element 6 attached to the output shaft of the electric motor 5. In an exemplary embodiment, the output element 6 is designed as a crown gear stage with an involute toothing. A high gear ratio can be achieved by the involute toothing. In an alternative embodiment, the output element 6 can have a different toothing or, instead of being designed as a crown gear stage, can be designed, for example, as an output worm. The output element 6 meshes with an output gear 7, and the output gear 7 drives a gear wheel 8. The gear wheel 8 engages with a gear 9 connected on the lower side according to an exemplary embodiment to form a straight toothing 10 on the locking elements 11, 12.

[0025] The locking elements 11, 12 are composed of a base 11 having a toothing 10 and a pin-shaped projection 12. The pin-shaped projection 12 extends through a seal 14 within an opening 15 of the housing 4. In fact, the housing 4 is composed of a shell 4b and a cover 4a, as can be seen particularly from the exploded view according to FIG. 2.

[0026] Inside the housing 4, in addition to the electric drive device 5-9 and the locking elements 11, 12, there is a circuit board 16 having a control unit (not shown) for controlling the electric drive device 5-9. The circuit board 16 is equipped with a supply line 16' led to the outside of the housing 4. Furthermore, emergency actuating elements 17, 18 that engage with the gear wheel 8 and can be manually actuated are arranged on the housing 4.

[0027] Comparing Figures 2 and 3, it can be seen that the emergency actuation elements 17,18 according to this embodiment are formed of a disk 17 and two parts having a flexible connecting means. According to an exemplary embodiment, the flexible connecting means 18 is designed as a cable 18 connected to the disk 17. The cable 18 may be a Boden cable with a Boden cable core and a Boden cable jacket. According to an exemplary embodiment, an indicated manual handle 19 is connected to the cable 18 or its Boden cable core, thereby allowing the cable 18, and thus the entire emergency actuation elements 17,18, to be manually actuated. A tensile load transmitted to the disk 17 via the cable 18, indicated by the arrow in Figure 3, can be accommodated. For this purpose, the disk 17 is equipped with a circumferential groove for engagement of the flexible connecting means or the cable 18. Furthermore, the disk 17 has a pin 17a provided radially and circumferentially on its underside, which engages with a pin receptacle 8a on the gear wheel 8. As a result, when the cable 18 is subjected to tension, for example, in the direction shown in Figure 3, the gear wheel 8 engages between the pin 17a and the pin receptacle 8a during the clockwise rotation of the disk 17, as shown in Figure 3. In fact, the disk 17 and the gear wheel 8 are mounted coaxially with respect to a common axis, i.e., the rotation axis 20.

[0028] Comparing Figures 2 and 3, it can be seen that, finally, guides 21 and 22 for the flexible connector or cable 18 are provided and implemented. The guides 21 and 22 are formed from two parts having an inner guide 21 and an outer guide 22. The inner guide 21 may be connected to the cover 4a of the housing 4. The inner guide 21 also ensures that the flexible connector 18 or cable 18 is properly guided into the inside of the housing 4 from the opening 24 of the housing 4 or its shell 4b, which is equipped with a seal 23. The outer guide 22 for the flexible connector or cable 18 also extends from this opening 24. The outer guide 22 engages with the opening 24 of the housing 4 by the intermediate positioning of the seal 23.

[0029] The locking elements 11, 12 with pin-shaped projections 12 protrude from the housing 4 by a predetermined length by means of the electric drive devices 5 - 9. In this embodiment, it can be seen that the charging connector 13 is reliably locked to the charging socket 3. Of course, the projections 12 or the locking elements 11, 12 can also be used for other types of locking. In any case, if the supply of electrical energy to the electric motor 5 and thus to the entire electric drive devices 5 - 9 fails, the lock can be cancelled. For this purpose, for example, it is only necessary to act on the handle 19 at the end of the flexible connecting means or cable 18 to achieve unlocking and move the locking elements 11, 12 or the projections 12 back from the exposed position shown in Fig. 3 to the retracted position.

[0030] Description of the compliance

[0031] Main body 1, Installation opening 2, Charging socket 3, Housing 4, Cover 4a, Shell 4b,​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Claims

1. A locking actuator for automotive applications, The present invention comprises a housing (4), further comprising an electric drive unit (5-9) disposed within the housing (4), and locking elements (11, 12) guided outward through an opening (15) within the housing (4), wherein the electric drive unit (5-9) comprises at least one electric motor (5), an output element (6), an output gear (7) meshing with the output element (6), and a gear wheel (8) meshing with the output gear (7) and acting on the locking elements (11, 12), The gear wheel (8) is equipped with manually operable emergency actuation elements (17, 18) that engage with it. The actuator is characterized in that the emergency actuation elements (17, 18) have a manually actuated flexible connecting means (18) and a disk (17), the disk (17) engages with the gear wheel (8), and the flexible connecting means (18) is connected to the disk (17) to actuate and unlock the locking elements (11, 12).

2. The actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that the disc (17) has pins (17a) provided on its lower side in the radial and circumferential directions, and a pin receptacle (8a) on the gear wheel (8) engages with the pins (17a).

3. The actuator according to claim 2, characterized in that the disc (17) is equipped with a circumferential groove that engages with the flexible connecting means (18).

4. The actuator according to claim 3, characterized in that the flexible connecting means (18) is provided with guides (21, 22).

5. The actuator according to claim 4, characterized in that the guides (21, 22) include an inner guide (21) and an outer guide (22).

6. The actuator according to claim 5, characterized in that the outer guide (22) engages with the opening (24) of the housing (4) by the intermediate positioning of the seal (23).

7. The actuator according to claim 6, characterized in that the locking elements (11, 12) have a tooth profile (10) for engaging the gear (9) with the gear wheel (8).

8. The actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the locking elements (11, 12) engage with the locking elements (12) via the seal (14) in the opening (15) of the housing (4).

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