Mandrel drive assembly

Abstract

The present invention relates to a spindle drive assembly comprising: a motor assembly comprising a motor shaft, the motor shaft being drivable in rotation by a motor and defining a motor axis; a spindle assembly including a spindle having a spindle axis, where the spindle is coupled to the motor shaft via a worm and gear and is drivable for an extension movement and a retraction movement; a first attachment assembly designed to attach the motor assembly and the spindle assembly to the first upper layer assembly in a manner pivotable about a first pivot axis, and a second attachment assembly designed to attach the motor assembly and the spindle assembly to the second upper layer assembly in a manner pivotable about a second pivot axis, and a second attachment assembly arranged at one end of the mandrel and designed to attach the mandrel to a second upper layer assembly in a manner pivotable about a second pivot axis. According to the invention, the second attachment assembly is formed such that the second pivot axis is spaced apart from the mandrel axis by a predetermined offset.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a spindle drive assembly, comprising: a motor assembly including a motor shaft rotatable by a motor and defining a motor axis; a spindle assembly including a spindle having a spindle axis, the central axis of which is connected to the motor shaft via a worm gear and is rotatable for extension and retraction movements; a first attachment assembly designed to attach the motor assembly and the spindle assembly to a first upper assembly in a pivotable manner about a first pivot axis; and a second attachment assembly disposed at one end of the spindle and designed to attach the spindle to a second upper assembly in a pivotable manner about a second pivot axis. Background Technology

[0002] It is known that, in a particular mounting configuration of a spindle drive assembly, it is necessary to be able to pivot relative to upper components (on the one hand, to which the motor assembly and spindle assembly are attached, and on the other hand, to which the spindle is attached). Generally, this applies to any pair of upper components that are connected to each other via hinge connections and can be driven by the corresponding spindle drive assembly to pivot about the resulting hinge axis.

[0003] A particularly relevant case involves door actuators and similar devices in vehicles, where a door or, for example, a tailgate is hinged to the vehicle body via a hinged connector and intended to be actuated or capable of automatic pivoting by such a spindle drive assembly. Since the corresponding connecting parts of the spindle drive also perform a bending pivoting movement along with the relative pivoting of the door or tailgate relative to the vehicle body, pivotability relative to the corresponding upper components must be achieved in the regions of these connecting parts. In other words, in a spindle drive assembly installed in this manner, each stroke position of the spindle corresponds to its pivoting position relative to two upper components, these positions being achieved via a first pivot axis and a second pivot axis.

[0004] To ensure this pivotability of the spindle drive assembly, the prior art often uses eyelets for the second attachment assembly, i.e., the connection between the spindle and the second upper assembly. These eyelets are located directly at the end of the spindle and thus coincide with the spindle axis. Therefore, the second pivot axis is formed by bolts inserted into the eyelets and then connected to the second upper assembly via angle plates that can pivot correspondingly relative to the spindle. Additionally, in such spindle drive assemblies known in the prior art, a pivotable connection between the motor assembly and the spindle assembly and the first upper assembly is provided via the aforementioned first attachment assembly, wherein different measures are taken in the design of the first attachment assembly.

[0005] However, particularly in applications involving automatically actuated vehicle doors, the available installation space for accommodating and connecting the spindle drive assembly is typically very limited. Generally, the motor assembly and spindle assembly are pivotally arranged in a recess within the corresponding door, with the spindle extending through a hole from this recess in the direction of the vehicle body. Therefore, there are significant limitations in both the space available to cover the pivot angle of the motor assembly and spindle assembly within the corresponding door, and the width of the door hole through which the spindle can pivot.

[0006] The pivoting motion of the corresponding spindle drive assembly can be structurally influenced by the positions of the first and second pivot axes. Different measures have been taken, particularly regarding the arrangement of the first pivot axis, and in some cases, the spindle itself has been pivotally mounted within the spindle drive assembly relative to the motor assembly. Typically, the pivoting angles of the motor assembly and the spindle assembly, and the radius of the pivoting motion of the second pivot axis about the hinge axis of the first and second upper-level assemblies, are proportional to each other. Therefore, in this application, the minimum possible radius of the second pivot axis about the hinge axis between the two upper-level assemblies automatically results in a smaller pivoting motion of the motor assembly and the spindle assembly within the door.

[0007] However, the advantage of the smaller radius of the second pivot axis around the hinge axis between the two upper components is offset by the location of the required door opening. To avoid collisions of the spindle here, the aforementioned radius must be chosen to be large enough that this difference only allows for limited control over the pivoting kinematics of the actuator. Furthermore, due to the aforementioned space requirements within the door, which acts as the first upper component, a smaller radius around the hinge axis itself may need to be chosen; however, this could again lead to collisions between the spindle and the door opening. Therefore, in the prior art, it is not possible to accommodate such a universal spindle drive assembly in a vehicle without structural changes to the upper components.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need for a further developed universal spindle drive assembly in which, on the one hand, the pivot radius of the second pivot axis is minimized, and on the other hand, the required mounting space in the region of the first upper assembly or in the door, as well as the width of the hole in that region, can be minimized. Summary of the Invention

[0009] In order to achieve this goal and to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art, the present invention proposes a further development of a universal spindle drive assembly of the above type, wherein the second attachment assembly is formed such that the second pivot axis is spaced apart from the spindle axis by a predetermined offset.

[0010] Therefore, in the spindle drive assembly according to the invention, it is ensured that the second pivot axis no longer intersects with the spindle axis, thereby allowing the mounting space requirements at the holes of the first upper assembly to be controlled depending on the mounting space requirements within the first upper assembly. Thus, by means of the offset between the second pivot axis and the spindle axis according to the invention, a smaller pivot radius around the hinge axis between the upper assemblies can be achieved, while avoiding collisions of the spindle at the holes in the first upper assembly.

[0011] In a particularly simple implementation, the second attachment assembly may include a crank securely connected to or formed on the spindle, the crank specifically defining a second pivot axis by including a connector eye. Specifically, the second attachment assembly may also include a connecting element pivotally connected to the crank and designed for attachment to a second upper assembly, wherein a bolt may preferably be provided for a hinged connection between the connecting element and the crank, the bolt correspondingly defining the second pivot axis. By designing the crank in a similar manner to the corresponding connection in a spindle drive assembly known in the prior art, the same or similar connecting elements can, in principle, be used for connection to the second upper assembly, thus eliminating the need for redesign in this area, and therefore allowing known components and fasteners to be used for cost savings.

[0012] It is also evident that, in a typical application of the spindle assembly according to the invention in the connection between a door and a vehicle body, the dimensions of the components involved are common in this case, and the predetermined offset between the second pivot axis and the spindle axis can be in the range of 5 mm to 20 mm, and can preferably be about 10 mm, in order to maximize the aforementioned advantages of the invention.

[0013] Although the effect of the offset of the second pivot axis relative to the spindle axis can be achieved independently of the specific design of the connection between the spindle drive assembly and the first upper assembly, a particularly advantageous kinematics can be achieved if the first pivot axis substantially coincides with the motor axis of the motor assembly, i.e., extends at least partially through the corresponding motor housing of the motor assembly, so as to achieve substantially fixed pivoting of the motor assembly and the spindle assembly in this region.

[0014] This can be achieved, in particular, by having the first attachment assembly comprise two angular elements pivotable relative to each other about a first pivot axis, wherein the first angular element is associated with the motor assembly and the spindle assembly, and wherein the second angular element is associated with the first upper assembly, wherein the angular elements are connected by means of a rotary joint arranged substantially on the extension of the motor axis, on the side of the spindle assembly opposite to the motor assembly. This allows the motor assembly and the spindle assembly to rotate substantially in place in their mounting positions, without being affected by kinematic levers.

[0015] Furthermore, to perform pivoting movements about the aforementioned first pivot axis with greater rigidity, the angular elements can be additionally connected via a curved guide arranged externally to the motor assembly or spindle assembly relative to a radial direction perpendicular to the motor axis. This curved guide can be formed, for example, through an elongated hole belonging to one of the two angular elements, and on the other hand, through a guide pin guided in an elongated hole belonging to the other of the two angular elements.

[0016] As has been pointed out many times, the present invention also relates to a door device for a vehicle, the door device including a door that can be hingedly connected to the body of the vehicle via a hinge connector, wherein the door has a recess in which a spindle drive assembly of the type described above according to the present invention is partially accommodated and attached by its first attachment assembly, wherein the spindle of the spindle drive assembly extends from the recess through a door opening.

[0017] Finally, the present invention relates to a vehicle comprising at least one door device of the type just described, wherein a second attachment assembly of the spindle drive assembly is attached to the vehicle body, particularly to an A-pillar or a B-pillar. Attached Figure Description

[0018] When with Figure 1 Further features and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description of its embodiments upon consideration. In detail, as shown in the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 This is a plan view of the spindle drive assembly according to the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the spindle drive component; Figure 3a and Figure 3b Showing from Figure 1 and Figure 2 A slightly modified variant of the spindle drive assembly according to the invention is compared with the pivot kinematics of a spindle drive assembly known in the prior art. Detailed Implementation

[0019] Figure 1 and Figure 2 Two different views illustrate the spindle drive assembly 10 according to the invention. The spindle drive assembly 10 here includes a motor assembly 12 having a motor housing 12a, which drives the spindle 14a of the spindle assembly 14 within the spindle housing 14b via a worm gear (not shown).

[0020] The motor assembly 12 and the spindle assembly 14 fixedly connected thereto can be attached to the first upper assembly via a first attachment assembly 16, wherein the first attachment assembly 16 includes a first angular element 18 and a second angular element 20, which are pivotable relative to each other. It can be seen that the corresponding pivot axis 22 of the first attachment assembly 16 substantially coincides with the longitudinal direction L12 of the motor assembly 12, or extends through the motor housing 12a in its extension, such that when pivoting about the pivot axis 22, the motor assembly 12 and the spindle housing 14b can perform a substantially spatially fixed rotation without moving through a considerable range of pivots.

[0021] To achieve this fixed pivoting, the first attachment assembly 16 is constructed such that it includes a rotary joint 24 for connecting the two angular elements 18, 20 (through which the pivoting axis 22 is fixed) and a bending guide 26 located radially outside the motor assembly 12 and the spindle assembly 14.

[0022] In particular, Figure 1 As can be seen in the plan view, the curved guide 26 is formed by an elongated hole 28 and a guide pin 30 guided within the elongated hole 28, the elongated hole and the guide pin respectively belonging to a first angular element 18 or a second angular element 20. The guide pin 30 can be shaped and sized in such a way that it achieves axial and rotational guidance by its shape partially conforming to the curved extension of the elongated hole 28.

[0023] Regarding the connection between the spindle 14a and the second upper assembly, a second attachment assembly 32 is provided at one end of the spindle 14a relative to its spindle axis L14. This second attachment assembly includes a crank 34 fixedly connected to the spindle 14a via a connector eye 34a and a connecting element 36, which are pivotally connected via bolts (not shown), which correspondingly define a second pivot axis 40 of the second attachment assembly 32. Specifically, in Figure 1 As can be seen in the plan view, an offset V is provided between the spindle axis L14 and the second pivot axis 40, which is achieved by the crank 34.

[0024] This design of the second attachment component now results in advantageous kinematics of the spindle drive assembly according to the invention, which in... Figure 3a and Figure 3b Based on the explanation, it is in Figure 3b As shown in the middle, Figure 3a A comparative example, known in the prior art, is shown where the region of the second attachment component does not have a crank. Figure 3a and Figure 3bIn the illustration, for clarity, reference numerals for the structural components of the shown assembly have been omitted; for this reason, in this context, reference numerals will be used instead of reference numerals. Figure 1 and Figure 2 Examples and descriptions in the text.

[0025] It should be noted that in these figures, in each case, from Figure 1 and Figure 2 A slightly modified variant of the spindle drive assembly is shown in multiple stroke positions, wherein the first attachment assembly is designed such that the first pivot axis is located at position P1 behind the spindle assembly. However, it can be seen that when the width of the bore in the first upper assembly, or the area swept by the spindle in this region, is constant and the spindle deflection angle is small, it is possible to achieve operation with no crank in the region of the second attachment assembly. Figure 3b The same pivot radius is used in the comparison examples.

[0026] To illustrate this, various sizes and positions are available in... Figure 3a and Figure 3b The marked location includes the door hinge axis P2, which is the pivot axis of the two upper components (one is the body and the other is the door). The spindles of the motor assembly and the corresponding spindle drive assembly are respectively attached to these two upper components.

[0027] In addition, two Figure 3a and Figure 3b Circles R1 and R2 are shown respectively, and these circles respectively illustrate Figure 3b The components according to the invention and Figure 3a The existing technology provides known possible pivot radii of components around the door hinge axis P2. It can be seen that, due to the offset of the second pivot axis relative to the spindle axis, radius R1 is significantly smaller than radius R2. This, in turn, leads to... Figure 3b Under the assumption that the maximum door opening angle R3 (e.g., 70°) is the same, it is the same as Figure 3a Compared to the spindle deflection angle W2, the spindle deflection angle W1 is significantly smaller; in the specific example shown here, W1 is 11.9° and W2 is 16.7°.

[0028] This reduced deflection angle, in turn, results in pivoting motion in the area corresponding to the aperture B1 and for the motor assembly or spindle assembly (in Figure 3a and Figure 3b The reduced space requirement in the area (represented as B2) is thus achieved by providing an offset between the spindle axis and the second pivot axis at the mentioned location according to the invention, using structurally simple components.

Claims

1. A spindle drive assembly (10), the spindle drive assembly comprising: - Motor assembly (12), the motor assembly includes a motor shaft that is rotatable by a motor and defines a motor axis (L12). - Mandrel assembly (14), the mandrel assembly including a mandrel (14a) having a mandrel axis (L14), wherein the mandrel (14a) is connected to the motor shaft via a worm gear and can be driven to perform extension and retraction movements; - A first attachment assembly (16), the first attachment assembly being designed to attach the motor assembly (12) and the spindle assembly (14) to a first upper assembly in a manner capable of pivoting about a first pivot axis (22); and - Second attachment assembly (32), which is disposed at one end of the spindle (14a) and is designed to attach the spindle (14a) to the second upper assembly in a manner that allows it to pivot about the second pivot axis (40); The second attachment component (32) is configured such that the second pivot axis (40) is spaced apart from the spindle axis (L14) by a predetermined offset (V).

2. The spindle drive assembly (10) according to claim 1. in, The second attachment assembly (32) includes a crank (34) which is fixedly connected to or formed on the spindle (14a), the crank specifically defining the second pivot axis (40) by including a joint eye (34a).

3. The spindle drive assembly (10) according to claim 2. in, The second attachment assembly (32) further includes a connecting element (36) which is pivotally connected to the crank (34) and designed for attachment to the second upper assembly, wherein bolts are preferably provided for hinged connection between the connecting element and the crank (34).

4. The spindle drive assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims. in, The predetermined offset (V) is between 5 mm and 20 mm, preferably about 10 mm.

5. The spindle drive assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims. in, The first pivot axis (22) is substantially coincident with the motor axis (L12).

6. The spindle drive assembly (10) according to claim 5. in, The first attachment assembly (16) includes two angular elements (18, 20) pivotable about the first pivot axis, the first of the two angular elements being associated with the motor assembly (12) and the spindle assembly (14), and the second of the two angular elements being associated with the first upper assembly. The angular elements (18, 20) are connected by means of a rotary joint (24), which is substantially arranged on the extension line of the motor axis (L12) on the side of the spindle assembly (14) opposite to the motor assembly (12).

7. The spindle drive assembly (10) according to the preceding claims. in, The angular elements (18, 20) are further connected via a bending guide (26) arranged outside the motor assembly (12) or the spindle assembly (14) in a radial direction perpendicular to the motor axis (L12).

8. The spindle drive assembly (10) according to the preceding claims. in, The bending guide (26) is formed by an elongated hole (28) and a guide pin (30) guided in the elongated hole (28), the elongated hole being associated with one of the two angular elements (18), and the guide pin being associated with the other of the two angular elements (20).

9. A door device for a vehicle, the door device comprising: - A door, which can be hinged to the body of the vehicle via a hinge connector. The door has a recess in which the spindle drive assembly (10) according to any one of the preceding claims is partially accommodated and attached by its first attachment assembly (16). The spindle (14a) of the spindle drive assembly (14) extends from the recess through the door hole.

10. A vehicle comprising at least one door assembly according to the preceding claim, wherein, The second attachment component (32) of the spindle drive assembly (10) is attached to the body of the vehicle, particularly to the A-pillar or B-pillar.

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