Drive system for opening and closing a door of a motor vehicle, and motor vehicle having a drive system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a drive system (200) for a door (310) of a motor vehicle, comprising an electric motor (110) and a hinge (210) for mounting the door (310) of the motor vehicle to a vehicle body (320) and being rotatable about a hinge axis (A). The hinge (210) includes a door leaf (211) for connecting to the door (310) of the motor vehicle, a body leaf (212) for connecting to the vehicle body (320), and a hinge pin (213) coaxially arranged with the hinge axis (A), connected to the door leaf (211), and rotatably mounted on the body leaf (212). The electric motor (110) includes a stator (111) coaxially arranged with the hinge shaft (A) and a rotor (112) coaxially arranged within the stator (111) and rotatably mounted about the hinge shaft (A), and is configured to open and close the vehicle door (310) by rotating the rotor (112) with torque. A hinge pin (213) is segmented within the rotor (112), and the rotor (112) is coupled to the hinge pin (213) in a gearless manner to transmit rotation. The drive system (200) includes a tolerance ring (140) coaxial with the hinge shaft (A) and arranged between the rotor (112) and the hinge pin (213) for transmitting rotation of the rotor (112) to the hinge pin (213), wherein the tolerance ring (140) is frictionally coupled to the hinge pin (213) or the rotor (112).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a drive system for opening and closing a door of a motor vehicle, the drive system including an electric motor and a hinge for mounting the door of the motor vehicle to the body of the vehicle such that it is rotatable about a hinge axis. The hinge includes a door leaf for rigidly attaching to the door of the motor vehicle, a body leaf for rigidly attaching to the body of the vehicle, and a hinge pin coaxial with the hinge axis, rigidly attached to the door leaf, and rotatably mounted on the body leaf about the hinge axis.

[0002] The present invention also relates to a motor vehicle having the aforementioned drive system. Existing technology

[0003] CN 101660381 A discloses an electric actuator for rotating a vehicle baffle. According to CN101660381 A, the rotational motion of the motor shaft is transmitted to the operating lever of the vehicle baffle via a coupling having multiple gears.

[0004] DE 100 53 551A1 discloses an electric drive device for a swing door with a reversible motor and a reduction gear. The rotational motion of the motor is converted into linear motion via a ring belt to drive the swing door.

[0005] The publication DE 10 2008 045 904 B3 discloses a drive device for a baffle in a motor vehicle, wherein the electric motor has a gearbox. The rotational motion of the electric motor is converted into linear motion by a rack and pinion to drive the baffle.

[0006] The publication WO 2019 / 076398 A1 discloses an electric drive device with a gearbox for a rotating door of a motor vehicle. The rotational motion of the motor is converted into linear motion by a rack and pinion to drive the door of the motor vehicle.

[0007] To ensure the safe and reliable opening and closing of vehicle doors, especially vehicle hatches, which are typically very heavy in modern vehicles, the drive mechanism must provide high torque in a controlled manner. This results in a large number of mechanically interacting components, making the drive mechanism more expensive, complex, and heavy to manufacture. This is particularly disadvantageous for vehicle component suppliers, who should be cost-effective and lightweight.

[0008] Furthermore, the installation space available for drive units in motor vehicles is very limited. Therefore, in many motor vehicles, it is not possible to use a drive unit that is robust enough and of a correspondingly large capacity to open and close the doors.

[0009] WO 91 / 19645 A1 discloses an electric actuator for a pivoting flap on a spacecraft. The actuator is configured as a direct drive, comprising a hinge pin and directly driven by an electric motor. Since the torque required to adjust the flap in weightlessness is far less than the torque required to open and close a vehicle door against gravity on Earth, the actuator according to WO 91 / 19645 A1 is unsuitable for opening and closing vehicle doors.

[0010] Furthermore, when spacecraft flaps are in zero gravity, there is no risk of flaps falling off and causing damage due to actuator malfunction. Conversely, vehicle doors, especially hatches, could fall downwards due to gravity and cause serious injury to the user. Therefore, the aforementioned actuator system must have higher safety requirements than the actuator in WO 91 / 19645 A1.

[0011] Technical issues

[0012] The purpose of this invention is to provide a reliable and safe drive system for opening and closing the doors of motor vehicles, which has lower manufacturing costs, lighter weight, and requires less installation space compared to known drive systems.

[0013] Technical solution

[0014] This invention provides a drive system according to claim 1, which solves the technical problem. Furthermore, the motor vehicle according to claim 14 also solves the problem. Further effects of this invention are described in the dependent claims. Detailed Implementation

[0015] This invention relates to a drive system for opening and closing the doors of a motor vehicle via an electric motor. Preferably, the doors of the motor vehicle are side doors, engine hoods, trunk lids, or hatches. The doors of the motor vehicle are particularly often configured as swing doors. The motor vehicles associated with the doors of the motor vehicle are, for example, passenger cars, trucks, or buses.

[0016] The drive system includes at least one hinge for mounting the door of the motor vehicle to the vehicle body, such that the door is rotatable about a hinge axis. The hinge includes: a door leaf for rigidly attaching to the door of the motor vehicle, a body panel for rigidly attaching to the vehicle body, and a hinge pin coaxially arranged with respect to the hinge axis, the hinge pin being rigidly attachable to the door leaf and mountable to the body panel, and rotatable about the hinge axis.

[0017] According to the present invention, the door leaf is configured to be rigidly attached to the vehicle body, and the vehicle body leaf is configured to be rigidly attached to the door of the motor vehicle.

[0018] If the door of the motor vehicle is attached to the vehicle body by a plurality of hinges, one, a plurality of or all of the hinges may be configured as hinges of the drive system according to the invention.

[0019] The electric motor includes a stator coaxially arranged with the hinge axis, and a rotor coaxially arranged within the stator with the hinge axis and rotatably mounted relative to the stator about the hinge axis. Therefore, the electric motor is configured as an internal rotor. The coaxial arrangement of the rotor and the stator with the hinge axis means that rotation of the rotor can be transmitted to the hinge pin particularly easily and efficiently.

[0020] The drive system may include a stator coupling for attaching the stator to the door of the motor vehicle or the body of the associated motor vehicle.

[0021] The electric motor is configured to rotate the rotor at a speed within the speed operating range and to open and close the vehicle door using torque within the torque operating range. Therefore, unlike the drive unit in WO 91 / 19645A1, the electric motor is configured to generate sufficiently high torque to open and close the vehicle door.

[0022] The hinge pins are arranged in segments within the rotor. This arrangement results in a smaller installation space required compared to known actuators for vehicle doors.

[0023] The rotor is gearless in its connection to the hinge pin to transmit rotation. Therefore, there is no torque transfer between the rotor and the hinge pin. To enable the electric motor to provide sufficiently high torque on the hinge pin without torque transfer, the motor can be configured as a torque motor, i.e., a multi-pole motor with high torque at low speeds. By eliminating the gearbox, the drive system is particularly inexpensive to manufacture, lightweight, and compact.

[0024] The drive system includes a tolerance ring coaxial with the hinge shaft and disposed between the rotor and the hinge pin. The tolerance ring is used to transmit the rotation of the rotor to the hinge pin. The tolerance ring is frictionally coupled to the hinge pin and / or coupled to the rotor, at least within the torque operating range, preferably coupled to the hinge pin and the rotor.

[0025] The tolerance ring ensures reliable transmission of rotation and can also form a sliding clutch via a friction coupler for overload protection without requiring much additional installation space.

[0026] The tolerance ring may form a frictional coupling only with the rotor or with the hinge pin, and may be coupled to other components in a complementary manner or by material bonding. Because there is only one frictional coupling in this case, the overload torque can be set more reliably compared to having two frictional couplings, wherein the frictional coupling disengages when the torque exceeds the overload torque.

[0027] Preferably, the drive system includes a rotary spring element coupled to the door leaf and the body leaf, the rotary spring element supporting the opening movement of the vehicle door. Preferably, the rotary spring element is coupled to the door leaf and the body leaf in such a way that when the vehicle door is closed, the rotary spring element is tensioned against spring tension, thereby the spring force generated by the spring tension supporting the opening movement.

[0028] In particular, if the vehicle door is a hatch, the drive system must apply a larger torque than when the hatch is closed to overcome the weight of the hatch and open it. If this weight is at least partially, preferably entirely, compensated by the rotary spring element, the electric motor can be configured to have lower power and be correspondingly smaller, lighter, and cheaper.

[0029] Preferably, the rotary spring element includes a hinge pin coaxially mounted with the hinge axis, and is preferably mounted on the hinge pin. This arrangement makes the structure of the drive system particularly simple and compact.

[0030] The torque operating range of the electric motor is preferably from 1 Nm to 2 Nm, more preferably from 1 Nm to 4 Nm, and particularly preferably from 1 Nm to 6 Nm. This torque operating range enables the doors of conventional motor vehicles to open and close reliably.

[0031] The operating speed range of the electric motor is preferably 0 to 20 revolutions per minute, and more preferably 0 to 50 revolutions per minute. This speed range allows for particularly quiet operation of the drive system, and enables safe and comfortable movement of the vehicle doors when opening and closing.

[0032] Within the speed operating range, preferably, the torque generated by the electric motor is substantially independent of the speed of the electric motor. If the torque varies as a function of speed by at most 10%, preferably at most 5%, and particularly preferably at most 2%, the torque is considered "substantially independent" of the speed. This enables the drive system to open and close the doors of the motor vehicle with particular reliability.

[0033] The tolerance ring is preferably configured to disengage the hinge pin from the rotor when the torque acting on the tolerance ring exceeds the overload torque. In this embodiment, the tolerance ring is particularly used as a slip clutch for overload protection. In this way, for example, when a vehicle door is closed or opened by a user with excessive force, the tolerance ring prevents excessive torque from being transmitted to the motor.

[0034] The overload torque of the tolerance ring is, for example, 2 Nm to 8 Nm, preferably 4 Nm to 6 Nm. This overload torque protects the drive system, especially the electric motor and the coupling elements for connecting the drive system to the vehicle doors and the vehicle body, as well as the vehicle doors and the vehicle body, from damage, and ensures reliable opening and closing of the vehicle doors.

[0035] The special feature of the tolerance ring is that it allows for the overload torque to be applied to the door of a specific motor vehicle in a particularly simple way by selecting a suitable tolerance ring, without needing to adapt it to other components of the drive system.

[0036] Preferably, the electric motor is configured to operate on a power supply voltage with a maximum value of 24 volts, preferably a maximum value of 12 volts, and to rotate the rotor at a speed within the speed operating range and to open and close the vehicle doors using torque within the torque operating range. The advantage of this is that the electric motor can operate using the onboard power supply voltage commonly found in motor vehicles without a voltage converter.

[0037] Common high-torque motors are typically designed for a power supply voltage of at least 48 volts, and therefore cannot generate the torque required to open and close car doors at 24 volts or lower. To achieve the required torque at lower power supply voltages, the motor may, for example, have more windings and / or thicker wires than a conventional motor.

[0038] Preferably, the diameter of the electric motor transverse to the hinge axis is 1 cm to 8 cm, more preferably 2.0 cm to 3.5 cm. This diameter maximizes the use of the installation space typically used for drive systems in motor vehicles, but is smaller than the diameter of conventional electric motors used to generate high torque. Since torque decreases as the motor diameter decreases, sufficient torque may not be generated to open and close the vehicle doors at the aforementioned diameter.

[0039] The length of the electric motor along the hinge axis is preferably 2 cm to 13 cm, more preferably 4.0 cm to 6.5 cm. This length allows for sufficiently high torque to open and close the vehicle door, even with a smaller diameter. This length is relatively long compared to the length of the electric motor in a drive system typically used for the door of a vehicle. However, since the drive system according to the invention does not require a gearbox, the structural length of the drive system along the hinge axis according to the invention is still short enough for integration into a vehicle.

[0040] The length-to-diameter ratio of the electric motor is preferably 1 to 5, more preferably 2.0 to 2.5. This ratio allows for sufficiently high torque while being particularly efficient in utilizing the installation space of the drive system in a motor vehicle.

[0041] The drive system preferably includes a braking module for rotating the brake hinge pin. For example, in the event of a motor failure, the braking module can brake the uncontrolled movement of the vehicle door, thereby reducing the risk of an accident. Specifically, the braking module can be configured to hold the vehicle door in a partially or fully open position against the weight and / or wind force of the vehicle door in the event of a motor failure, especially when the vehicle is located on a slope or inclined surface.

[0042] The braking module preferably includes an electronically controlled brake for automatically braking the rotation of the hinge pin in the event of a power supply voltage failure of the electric motor. For example, the brake may include an electromagnetic or electromechanical brake to brake or stop the rotation of the hinge pin in the absence of voltage. This allows the drive system to operate smoothly and energy-efficiently when power is available, and prevents uncontrolled movement of the vehicle door in the event of a power supply voltage failure.

[0043] The drive system preferably includes a cooling module thermally connected to the motor for cooling the electric motor. Because the electric motor must generate higher torque than in known drive systems, it generates more heat. For example, the cooling module can dissipate heat to the environment of the drive system via heat sinks, thereby protecting the motor from overheating.

[0044] The cooling module preferably includes an active cooling element, such as a Peltier element or a fan, for actively cooling the motor. The active cooling element ensures reliable cooling and requires less installation space compared to a purely passive cooling module.

[0045] The cooling module preferably includes a temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the motor. The temperature sensor can be communicatively connected to the active cooling element and / or the motor to control the active cooling element and / or the motor based on the temperature of the motor.

[0046] With the help of the temperature sensor, the motor can be detected in time when it is about to overheat, and the motor can be prevented from overheating by increasing the cooling capacity of the active cooling element and / or by reducing the power of the motor.

[0047] The present invention relates to a motor vehicle having a drive system according to the invention for opening and closing the doors of the motor vehicle.

[0048] The motor vehicle preferably includes a linear spring element coupled to the door of the motor vehicle and the body of the motor vehicle, which supports the opening movement of the door of the motor vehicle, wherein the door of the motor vehicle is preferably configured as a hatch. The linear spring element is preferably coupled to the door of the motor vehicle and the body of the motor vehicle such that the linear spring element is tensioned against spring tension during the closing movement of the door of the motor vehicle, thereby the spring force generated by the spring tension supports the opening movement.

[0049] In particular, if the vehicle door is a hatch, the drive system must apply a larger torque than when the hatch is closed to overcome the weight of the hatch and open it. If the weight is at least partially, and preferably completely, compensated by the linear spring element, the electric motor can be configured to have lower power and be correspondingly smaller, lighter, and cheaper.

[0050] The motor vehicle may include one or more, particularly two, of the linear spring elements.

[0051] The linear spring element preferably includes a gas spring and / or a helical spring, and preferably includes a spring strut. Embodiments of the linear spring element are available at a lower cost and are suitable for supporting hatches. Attached Figure Description

[0052] Other advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be explained by means of the following description and accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention. Features in the drawings that are at least substantially consistent in function may be identified using the same drawings, thus these features need not be numbered and explained in all drawings.

[0053] Figure 1 A drive system according to the present invention is shown.

[0054] Figure 2A motor vehicle according to the present invention is shown.

[0055] Figure 3 A motor vehicle having a drive system according to the invention is shown.

[0056] Figure 1

[0057] Figure 1 A drive system 200 for opening and closing a door (not shown) of a motor vehicle according to the present invention is shown, including an electric motor 110 and a hinge 210 for mounting the door 310 of the motor vehicle to the body (not shown) of the relevant motor vehicle and rotatable about a hinge axis A.

[0058] The hinge 210 includes a door leaf 211 for rigid attachment to a door of a motor vehicle, a body leaf 212 for rigid attachment to a vehicle body, and a hinge pin 213 that is coaxially arranged with the hinge axis A, rigidly attached to the door leaf 211, and rotatably mounted on the body leaf 212 about the hinge axis A.

[0059] The electric motor 110 includes a stator 111 coaxially arranged with respect to a hinge axis A, and a rotor 112 arranged within the stator 111 and coaxially arranged with the hinge axis A, the rotor 112 being rotatably mounted on the hinge axis A with respect to the stator 111. The stator 111 may be attached to the vehicle body, for example, via a stator connecting element (not shown).

[0060] The electric motor 110 is configured to rotate the rotor 112 at a speed within the speed operating range and to open and close the vehicle door 310 using torque within the torque operating range.

[0061] The hinge pins 213 are arranged in segments inside the rotor 112, wherein the rotor 112 is coupled to the hinge pins 213 in a gearless manner to transmit rotation.

[0062] The drive system 200 includes a tolerance ring 140 coaxial with the hinge shaft A and disposed between the rotor 112 and the hinge pin 213. The tolerance ring 140 is used to transmit the rotation of the rotor 112 to the hinge pin 213. At least within the torque operating range, the tolerance ring 140 is frictionally coupled to the hinge pin 213 and the rotor 112.

[0063] The drive system 200 may include a rotary spring element 220 connected to the door leaf 211 and the body leaf 212 to assist the opening movement of the vehicle door 310. Preferably, the rotary spring element includes a hinge pin 213 mounted on the hinge axis A.

[0064] Figure 2

[0065] Figure 2A motor vehicle 300, such as a bus, according to the invention is shown, wherein the drive system 200 according to the invention has a plurality of, such as two, doors 310 of the motor vehicle 300 that are configured as doors.

[0066] The vehicle doors 310 are connected to the vehicle body 320 of the vehicle 300 by multiple, for example, two, hinges, each hinge being part of the drive system 200. For example, the drive system 200 is configured as follows: Figure 1 The drive system 200 shown.

[0067] The motor vehicle 300 includes multiple, for example two, linear spring elements 330. The linear spring elements 330 are connected to the door 310 of the motor vehicle and the body 320 of the motor vehicle 300, and are used to support the opening movement of the door 310 of the motor vehicle.

[0068] Each linear spring element 330 is configured as, for example, a gas spring, which may be arranged on both sides of the door 310 of a motor vehicle.

[0069] Figure 3

[0070] Figure 3 A motor vehicle 300, such as a bus, is shown, wherein a drive system 200 according to the invention is used to open and close a door 310 of the motor vehicle 300, which is configured as a side door.

[0071] The vehicle doors 310 are connected to the vehicle body 320 of the vehicle 300 by multiple, for example, two, hinges, one of which is part of the drive system 200. The drive system 200 is configured, for example, as follows: Figure 1 The drive system 200 shown.

[0072] Reference Symbol List

[0073] 110 electric motor, 212 body fan

[0074] 111 stator 213 hinge pin

[0075] 112 rotor 220 rotating spring element

[0076] 140 tolerance ring 300 motor vehicle

[0077] 310 Vehicle doors

[0078] 200 drive system 320 body

[0079] 210 hinge, 330 linear spring element

[0080] 211 Door Leaf A Hinge Shaft

Claims

1. A drive system (200) for opening and closing a door (310) of a motor vehicle, comprising: a. Electric motor (110) and b. A hinge (210) for mounting the door (310) of the motor vehicle to the body (320) of the relevant motor vehicle (300) and rotatable about a hinge axis (A). i. Wherein, the hinge (210) comprises: A door leaf (211) rigidly attached to the door (310) of the motor vehicle. ii. A body fan (212) rigidly attached to the body (320) and iii. A hinge pin (213) coaxially arranged with the hinge axis (A) and rigidly fixed to the door leaf (211), the hinge pin (213) being rotatably mounted to the body leaf (212) about the hinge axis (A). Its features are, c. The electric motor (110) i. Includes: a stator (111) coaxially arranged with the hinge axis (A) and ii. A rotor (112) coaxially arranged with the hinge axis (A) of the stator (111) and rotatably mounted relative to the stator (111) about the hinge axis (A), and iii. The rotor (112) is configured to be able to rotate at a speed within the speed operating range, and the door (310) can be opened and closed using torque within the torque operating range. d. The hinge pin (213) is arranged in segments on the rotor (112). e. Wherein, the rotor (112) is coupled to the hinge pin (213) in a gearless manner to transmit rotation, f. Wherein, the drive system (200) includes a tolerance ring (140) coaxial with the hinge shaft (A) and disposed between the rotor (112) and the hinge pin (213), for transmitting rotation from the rotor (112) to the hinge pin (213), and g. Wherein, the tolerance ring (140) and the hinge pin (213) and / or the rotor (112) form a frictional coupling at least within the torque operating range.

2. The drive system (200) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive system (200) includes a rotary spring element (220) coupled to the door leaf (211) and the body leaf (212) to support the opening movement of the vehicle door (310).

3. The drive system (200) according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotary spring element (220) includes a torsion spring that is coaxial with the hinge shaft (A) and mounted on the hinge pin (213).

4. The drive system (200) according to claim 1, wherein a. The torque operating range of the electric motor (110) is from 1 Nm to 2 Nm, and / or b. The speed operating range of the electric motor (110) is 0 to 20 revolutions per minute.

5. The drive system (200) according to claim 1. in, The torque generated by the electric motor (110) within the speed operating range is independent of the speed of the electric motor (110).

6. The drive system (200) according to claim 1. in, When the torque applied to the tolerance ring (140) is higher than the overload torque, the tolerance ring (140) is configured to disengage the hinge pin (213) from the rotor (112).

7. The drive system (200) according to claim 6. in, The overload torque of the tolerance ring (140) is 2 Nm to 8 Nm.

8. The drive system (200) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electric motor (110) is configured to use a power supply voltage with a maximum value of 24 volts to rotate the rotor (112) at a speed within the speed operating range and at a torque within the torque operating range for opening and closing the doors (310) of the motor vehicle.

9. The drive system (200) according to claim 1, characterized in that, a. The diameter of the motor (110) transverse to the hinge axis (A) is 1 cm to 8 cm, and / or b. The length of the motor (110) along the hinge axis (A) is 2 cm to 13 cm, and / or c. The ratio of the length to the diameter of the electric motor (110) is 1 to 5.

10. The drive system (200) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive system (200) includes a braking module for braking the rotation of the hinge pin (213).

11. The drive system (200) according to claim 10, characterized in that, The braking module includes an electrically controlled brake for automatically braking the rotation of the hinge pin (213) when the power supply voltage of the motor (110) fails.

12. The drive system (200) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The drive system (200) includes a cooling module for cooling the motor (110) and connected to the motor (110) in a thermally conductive manner.

13. The drive system (200) according to claim 12, characterized in that, The cooling module includes: a. An active cooling element for actively cooling the motor (110); and / or b. A temperature sensor for measuring the temperature of the motor (110), the temperature sensor being communicatively connected to the active cooling element and / or the motor (110).

14. A motor vehicle (300) comprising a drive system (200) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, for opening and closing the door (310) of the motor vehicle (300). in, The motor vehicle (300) includes a linear spring element (330) for supporting the opening movement of the door (310) of the motor vehicle and coupled to the door (310) of the motor vehicle and the body (320) of the motor vehicle (300).

15. The motor vehicle (300) according to claim 14, characterized in that, The linear spring element (330) includes a pneumatic spring and / or a helical spring.

Images