Locking device, motor power unit and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a locking device (SV) for an electric motor drive unit (EM-AE), the locking device (SV) having a locking mechanism for locking a lockable shaft (W) of the electric motor drive unit (EM-AE) and an electric drive (EA) for actuating the locking mechanism, which is received together with the locking mechanism by a housing (SV-G) of the locking device (SV). In this case, the housing (SV-G) of the locking device (SV) also receives a separate arrangement of contact elements having at least two trolley brushes (2a, 2b, 3a, 3b) for separately exciting a rotor of a synchronous motor of the motor drive unit (EM-AE), said rotor being connected to the shaft (W). The invention further relates to an electric motor drive unit (EM-AE), in particular for driving a vehicle, having such a locking device (SV), and to a vehicle having such an electric motor drive unit (EM-AE).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a locking device, a motor power unit having the locking device and a vehicle having the motor power unit. Background Art

[0002] The locking device proposed within the scope of the present disclosure is a development of the locking devices described in German patent applications 10 2021 213 737.7 and 102021 213 739.3. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide an improved locking device, in particular for vehicles.

[0004] This object is achieved by the locking device as set forth and claimed in accordance with claim 1 .

[0005] The present invention proposes a locking device for a motor power unit. Here, the locking device has a locking mechanism for locking a lockable shaft of the motor power unit and an electric drive for actuating the locking mechanism, and the electric drive and the locking mechanism are received by a housing of the locking device.

[0006] The housing of the locking device also accommodates a separate arrangement of contacts, which contact / contact arrangement has at least two sliding contact brushes for externally exciting a rotor of a synchronous motor of the motor power unit, which is connected to the shaft.

[0007] The proposed integration of functions advantageously saves components and thus installation space, thereby also advantageously simplifying the installation complexity.

[0008] Here, the locking mechanism comprises a positive-locking element which can be actuated longitudinally relative to the shaft in an axial reciprocating movement and which can engage at least partially positively with a complementary element on the shaft side in a positive-locking region in order to lock the shaft.

[0009] Here, the actuatable form-fitting element, in a state in which the end face rests on the shaft-side complementary part, can be preloaded or clamped in a defined manner against the shaft-side complementary part in a latchable manner by means of at least one elastic force transmission element in the longitudinal direction of the shaft.

[0010] Here, in the locked state of the shaft, an actuatable form-locking element and a complementary part on the shaft side engage with each other in the form-locking area of ​​the locking mechanism, and the actuatable form-locking element is supported in the locked state of the shaft on a housing section of the motor power unit, on which the locking actuator is mounted.

[0011] Here, in the form-locking area and in the circumferential direction of the shaft, the locking mechanism has a movement gap between the actuatable form-locking element and the complementary part on the shaft side, which, in combination with the preload / clamping of the actuatable form-locking element toward the complementary part on the shaft side as described or mentioned above, enables the actuatable form-locking element to be locked into the complementary part on the shaft side or the actuatable form-locking element to engage with the complementary part on the shaft side.

[0012] In this case, a shaft-side complementary part is to be understood as a shaft-side counterpart to the actuatable form-fitting element, which counterpart is correspondingly designed or formed in a form-fitting region complementary to the actuatable form-fitting element. The counterpart can be a correspondingly formed section of the shaft itself, which interacts in a form-fitting manner with the actuatable form-fitting element, or a separate and correspondingly formed element which engages with the shaft.

[0013] Here, an elastic force transmission part can be understood as a mechanical energy storage device for elastically preloading / clamping the actuatable form-locking element toward a complementary part on the shaft side, for example in the form of at least one separate spring or a separate spring element and / or in the form of at least one spring element section integrated into the actuatable form-locking element.

[0014] The energy accumulator preloads the actuatable form-locking element toward the complementary part on the shaft until the shaft assumes or reaches an orientation suitable for form-locking relative to the actuatable form-locking element. Once this orientation is achieved, the energy accumulator presses the actuatable form-locking element into the complementary part on the shaft to achieve locking, thereby locking or blocking the shaft.

[0015] Furthermore, the locking mechanism can be actuated in an energy-saving manner, since high adjustment forces do not need to be applied for the actuation nor for the application of the preload / clamping, because when the actuatable form-fitting element engages with the complementary part on the shaft, only the actuatable form-fitting element is moved, and no elements of the drive train that are yet to be locked are moved.

[0016] In one embodiment, the electric drive device is arranged transversely to the shaft. This transverse arrangement advantageously provides structural space for receiving the above-mentioned contact piece through the housing of the locking device.

[0017] In this case, transverse is understood to mean either an orthogonal arrangement of the electric drive relative to the shaft or an arrangement in which the longitudinal axis of the electric drive forms an acute or obtuse angle with the longitudinal axis of the lockable shaft.

[0018] In another embodiment, the sliding contact brush is arranged radially relative to the shaft. This radial arrangement is also conducive to the embodiment of the compact structure of the locking device.

[0019] It is proposed that the sliding contact brush rests on the associated sliding contact ring of the contact piece in a spring-preloaded manner or is in contact with the sliding contact ring, thereby ensuring the tracking of the sliding contact brush that wears over time relative to the associated sliding contact ring.

[0020] Furthermore, an electric motor power unit, in particular for driving a vehicle, is proposed, which has a locking device of the aforementioned type, which is mounted on the housing of an electric motor of the electric motor power unit (claim 5 ).

[0021] Furthermore, a vehicle is proposed which has an electric motor drive unit of the type described above (claim 6 ).

[0022] The vehicle is understood to be any type of vehicle or motor vehicle that is electrically operated, in particular a passenger car and / or a commercial vehicle. The vehicle is preferably a semi-automatic, in particular fully automatic, vehicle. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Other advantageous improvements of the present invention are obtained from the dependent claims and the following description of the preferred embodiments. For this purpose, it is shown:

[0024] Figure 1 A perspective view (left side) of a motor power unit with the proposed locking device and a separate, perspective and enlarged view (right side) additionally showing a part of the locking device;

[0025] Figure 2 Shown in plan view Figure 1 The locking device shown in ;

[0026] Figure 3 The locking mechanism of the locking device together with the arrangement of the contacts are shown;

[0027] Figure 4 Shown in perspective Figure 3 The arrangement of the locking mechanism and contacts shown in ;

[0028] Figure 5 A multifunctional shaft adapter showing a locking device;

[0029] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view shows the positive locking area between the lockable shaft and the locking device;

[0030] Figure 7 Show Figure 6 A perspective enlarged view of the form-fitting area shown in ; and

[0031] Figure 8 A perspective cutaway view of a locking device is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] The proposed locking device SV is mounted on an electric motor power unit EM-AE, in particular for driving a vehicle. Here, the electric motor power unit EM-AE comprises an electric motor EM in the form of a separately excited synchronous motor and a reduction gear mechanism RG connected to the electric motor. Here, the locking device SV is arranged on the housing EM-G of the synchronous motor.

[0033] The locking device SV has a locking mechanism and an electric drive EA for actuating the locking mechanism, which is received together with the drive EA by a housing SV-G of the locking device. Figure 2 For example, it is very clear that the housing segment EM-G of the synchronous machine also forms the housing SV-G of the locking device.

[0034] Here, the drive EA is arranged transversely and orthogonally to the shaft W or axis XX. In embodiments not shown here, the drive EA can also be arranged relative to the shaft such that the longitudinal axis of the drive EA forms an acute or obtuse angle with the longitudinal axis XX of the shaft W.

[0035] Here, the drive device EA drives the helical gear shaft 8, which in turn cooperates with the gear segment 10 of the spindle nut SM with an internal thread. Here, the spindle nut SM is longitudinally movably engaged with the spindle S with a corresponding external thread, which together with the spindle nut SM forms a so-called helical transmission or a so-called helical gear transmission, which converts the rotational movement (left or right) of the spindle nut SM into a translational movement of the spindle nut SM along the spindle S and in the longitudinal direction XX or along the axis W. Here, the spindle S is arranged in a fixed position relative to the housing SV-G and is supported relative to the housing SV-G ( Figure 2 ).

[0036] On the shaft side, the spindle nut SM is elastically preloaded via an annular element RE and individual springs, for example in the form of a helical spring 18, towards a positive locking element 4 that can be actuated in the longitudinal direction XX or longitudinally relative to the axis W ( Figure 3 , Figure 4 ), the annular element is received by the spindle nut SM itself with low friction via a rolling bearing.

[0037] The form-fitting element 4 is therefore elastically connected via approximately three helical springs 18 arranged in a distributed manner on the circumference of the ring element RE to a kinematic mechanism of the locking device SV which effects an axial reciprocating movement of the form-fitting element 4 .

[0038] The form-locking element 4 is made of metal and high strength and is designed in the form of a closed, circumferential annular element with an inner toothing IV and an outer toothing 5. The inner toothing IV can be moved in a form-locking manner into the outer toothing AV of a complementary part 6 made of metal and high strength on the shaft side for locking the shaft W, while the outer toothing 5 always cooperates in a form-locking manner with a complementarily constructed section of the motor housing EM-G. The latter form-locking ensures the guidance and support of the form-locking element 4 relative to the motor housing EM-G. In this case, the outer toothing 5 enables an advantageous or uniform force distribution on the circumference of the form-locking element 4 and at the same time enables an advantageous or uniform force introduction into the motor housing EM-G. In this case, Figure 7 A section on the motor housing EM-G which is formed complementarily to the external toothing 5 and the internal toothing of the section are shown. For the sake of simplicity, the form-locking element 4 is not shown or is omitted or omitted.

[0039] In the locked state of the shaft W, therefore, both static and dynamic torque loads of the drive train are introduced into the motor housing EM-G via the external toothing 5 .

[0040] As an alternative to the external toothing 5, an outer contour in the form of a single radial claw-like projection of the form-fitting element 4 can also be provided. In this regard, reference is made to the German patent applications 10 2021 213 737.7 and 102021 213 739.3 already mentioned above, which describe and explain this.

[0041] The locking device SV also has a multifunctional shaft adapter 12, which extends through the main shaft S and extends into the area of ​​the hollow shaft W. The shaft adapter 12 is essentially made of plastic, in which two metal sliding rings 14a, 14b and the metal conductors or contact lines 16 associated with the respective sliding ring 14a, 14b are embedded. The conductors 16 extend from the associated sliding ring 14a, 14b in the direction of the hollow shaft W through the plastic of the shaft adapter 12.

[0042] Furthermore, the plastic of the shaft adapter 12 is injection molded or materially connected to the complementary part 6 on the shaft side, which is designed in the form of a metallic adapter ring. Figure 6 By way of example, an annular projection of an adapter ring or form-fitting element 6 is shown, which is formed in a dovetail-shaped manner on the adapter ring 6 facing the form-fitting element 4 at the end and is surrounded by a plastic collar of the shaft adapter 12. The adapter ring 6 has an external toothing AV that is complementary to the internal toothing IV and also an inner contour or internal toothing, by means of which the adapter ring 6 and therefore the shaft adapter 12 are pressed onto a correspondingly complementary external contour or external toothing of the hollow shaft W.

[0043] The proposed locking device SV can advantageously be adapted to different shaft diameters by means of the adapter ring 6 .

[0044] Two sliding contact brushes 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b are arranged radially relative to the shaft adapter 12, which are associated with two sliding contact rings 14a, 14b and are received by the housing SV-G. Here, the sliding contact brushes 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b are in a spring-preloaded manner against the associated sliding contact rings 14a, 14b or in contact with them. Here, the sliding contact brushes 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b associated with the sliding contact rings 14a, 14b and forming a pair are arranged relative to each other so that they enclose an angle ( Figure 3 , Figure 4 ).

[0045] In order to align the two form-fitting elements 4, 6 with one another, a constricted section 7 ( Figure 6 , Figure 7 ). In the event of an axial misalignment between the form-locking element 4 and the form-locking element 6 or the hollow shaft W, the inner toothing IV can contact the narrowing section or centering section 7 during the longitudinal displacement of the form-locking element 4 in the XX direction in order to align it relative to the outer toothing AV and thus the hollow shaft W. Therefore, in addition to the locking function, the form-locking element 6 also has a centering function, which ensures that the two form-locking elements 4, 6 are coaxially aligned with each other. This ensures that the forces are evenly distributed over the circumference of the two form-locking elements 4, 6 in the engaged state.

[0046] Furthermore, the locking device SV comprises, for example, an inductively acting position sensor device for detecting the position of a rotor of the synchronous machine connected to the shaft W in order to enable efficient electronic commutation of the synchronous machine. Figure 8 By way of example, a position sensor arrangement is shown in the region of an outer end of the shaft adapter 12 or in the region of the end of the shaft adapter 12 facing away from the shaft end.

[0047] Here, a signal generator with a coil arrangement is provided, which is fixed in position relative to the housing SV-G and integrated into the printed circuit board 20, and which cooperates with a sensor component in the form of a metallic disk-shaped element 18, which is fixed in position relative to the hollow shaft W. The element 18, which is arranged opposite the printed circuit board, is received by the plastic of the shaft adapter 12 in a fixed position relative to the shaft adapter 12. The element 18 has individual radial claw-like projections on the circumferential side, which themselves cause a detuning of the magnetic field acting on it. At least these radial claw-like projections can be designed magnetically, for example ferromagnetically. In a simple embodiment, the disk-shaped element 18 is made completely of non-magnetic metal, for example aluminum.

[0048] As an alternative thereto, such a position sensor device can also be arranged in the region of the form-fitting elements 4 , 6 or on the shaft side.

[0049] In addition to the above-mentioned signal generators, sensor electronics for the position sensor device and motor electronics for controlling the electric drive EA are integrated into the printed circuit board 20 .

[0050] The proposed locking device enables a compact, space-saving and cost-effective solution in the sense of a parking lock or locking actuator within a drive train, in particular of a vehicle, according to which the locking mechanism is integrated into the electric motor EM and the locking device is integrated into the electric motor housing EM-G.

[0051] In vehicles with such a locking device, this means that in a parking situation in which the vehicle is stationary, the vehicle can be locked or immobilized, for example, at the request of the driver.

[0052] If the orientation of the shaft W in this parking situation does not allow locking by the form-locking element 4, the form-locking element 4 can be preloaded or clamped longitudinally and with a predeterminable force toward the shaft W by the described screw drive formed by the spindle S and the spindle nut SM and the described helical spring 18 in the state in which the form-locking element 4 abuts at the end against the shaft-side complementary part or form-locking element 6 or the external toothing AV to achieve locking. Subsequently, as long as the shaft W is only slightly further twisted or rotated, the form-locking element 4 is locked with the form-locking element 6 and thus with the shaft 6 as soon as the corresponding orientation of the shaft W that allows locking is reached. This further (twisting) rotation of the shaft W in the parking situation can now be triggered on the vehicle system side.

[0053] However, the described movement play between the two positive locking elements 4 , 6 and in the circumferential direction of the axis W also enables emergency scenarios in the event of a vehicle breakdown, in which the electric motor EM of the electric motor power unit EM-AE fails.

[0054] If the electric motor EM fails during driving and the vehicle is subsequently braked to a standstill on a sloped road, the proposed locking device SV enables locking or blocking of the vehicle which then starts rolling from the standstill, more precisely up to the maximum rotational speed of the shaft W or the maximum speed of the vehicle related to the movement play.

[0055] In this case, the form-fitting element 4 is locked with the form-fitting element 6 and thus with the shaft W, using the play and until the maximum rotational speed of the shaft W associated with the play or the maximum speed of the vehicle is reached and the vehicle is thus stopped.

[0056] The locking is finally achieved by the fact that the form-locking element 4 is in one state so that it abuts at the end side against the form-locking element 6 or the external toothing AV via a spiral transmission and a spiral spring 18 and is preloaded or clamped longitudinally relative to the shaft W and with a predeterminable force toward the shaft W until locking. Once the shaft W reaches the corresponding orientation relative to the form-locking element 4, locking is finally achieved.

[0057] Although exemplary embodiments have been described in the foregoing description, it should be noted that a large number of variations are possible. It should also be noted that these exemplary embodiments are merely examples and should not limit the scope of protection, application and structure in any way. On the contrary, the foregoing description provides guidance for those skilled in the art for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, wherein various changes may be made, in particular in the functions and arrangements of the components, without departing from the scope of protection derived from the claims and the combination of equivalent features.

Claims

1. A locking device (SV) for an electric motor power unit (EM-AE), wherein: The locking device (SV) has a locking mechanism for locking a lockable shaft (W) of the motor power unit (EM-AE) and an electric drive (EA) for actuating the locking mechanism, the electric drive being received together with the locking mechanism by a housing (SV-G) of the locking device (SV), The housing (SV-G) of the locking device (SV) also accommodates a separate arrangement of contacts having at least two sliding brushes (2a, 2b, 3a, 3b) for separately exciting the rotor of a synchronous motor of an electric motor power unit (EM-AE) connected to a shaft (W).

2. The locking device (SV) according to claim 1, wherein: The electric drive (EA) is arranged transversely to the shaft (W).

3. A locking device (SV) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The wipers (2a, 2b, 3a, 3b) are arranged radially relative to the axis (W).

4. A locking device (SV) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The sliding contact brushes (2a, 2b, 3a, 3b) are in contact with the associated sliding contact rings (14a, 14b) of the contact element in a spring-preloaded manner.

5. An electric motor power unit (EM-AE), in particular for driving a vehicle, comprising a locking device (SV) according to any one of the preceding claims, which is mounted on a housing (EM-G) of an electric motor (EM) of the electric motor power unit (EM-AE).

6. A vehicle having an electric motor-electrical unit (EM-AE) according to claim 5.

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