Tailgate stay assembly for a vehicle and vehicle

Abstract

The application relates to the field of vehicle tail door support, in particular to a tail door supporting rod assembly for a vehicle and the vehicle. The tail door supporting rod assembly comprises a driving motor, a screw rod, a supporting rod, a damper shell, a rotor component and a damping piece. The driving motor is provided with a rotatable output end. The screw rod is connected with the output end and rotates with the output end. The supporting rod is internally formed with an expansion cavity for accommodating the screw rod. The screw rod is elongated or contracted relative to the supporting rod under the driving of the driving motor. The damper shell is connected with the driving motor shell. The damper shell is internally formed with a guide part. The rotor component is connected with the output end. The outer surface of the rotor is formed with a first contact wall and a second contact wall which are sequentially arranged in the axial direction and have different outer diameters. The damping piece is accommodated in the damper shell and cooperates with the guide part. The damping piece moves in the axial direction according to the output direction of the output end. The damping piece is sleeved on the outer periphery of the rotor component and selectively contacts the first contact wall or the second contact wall to adjust the damping size of the rotor component.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle tailgate support, and more particularly to a tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, dampers are currently used in tailgate struts to prevent the strut from retracting due to the weight of the tailgate when it is open and hovering, ensuring reliable hovering and thus protecting customer safety. When the tailgate is open, the damper prevents the strut from being easily compressed by external forces by blocking the rotation of the lead screw, thus hindering the closing tendency. However, since the damper is connected in series with the lead screw, it also generates rotational resistance on the lead screw during the opening process. The damping force is the same as when the tailgate is hovering. This results in the motor having to overcome the dual load of the tailgate's weight and the damper's resistance during opening, leading to increased energy consumption. The damper is an unnecessary load during opening. Therefore, reducing the energy consumption of the tailgate strut is the technical problem this application aims to solve. Utility Model Content

[0003] This application aims to address at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, one objective of this application is to provide a tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle that can reduce the energy consumption of the tailgate strut.

[0004] This application also proposes a vehicle having the aforementioned tailgate strut assembly.

[0005] A tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle according to an embodiment of this application includes: a drive motor having a rotatable output end; a lead screw connected to and rotating with the output end; a strut having a telescopic cavity inside for receiving the lead screw, the inner wall of the telescopic cavity having an internal thread for engaging with the lead screw, the lead screw extending or contracting relative to the strut under the drive of the drive motor; a damper housing connected to the drive motor housing, a guide portion formed inside the damper housing; a rotor component connected to the output end, the outer surface of the rotor having a first contact wall and a second contact wall arranged sequentially in the axial direction with different outer diameters; and a damping element housed in the damper housing and engaging with the guide portion, the damping element selectively moving axially according to the output direction of the output end, the damping element being sleeved on the outer periphery of the rotor component and selectively contacting the first contact wall or the second contact wall to adjust the damping magnitude of the rotor component.

[0006] According to the embodiments of this application, the tailgate strut assembly for vehicles uses a drive motor output end to link a lead screw with a rotor component having contact walls of different outer diameters. The damping element moves axially within the damper housing as the output end rotates. Differentiated damping control is achieved by the damping element contacting the contact walls of different outer diameters. When the tailgate is open, the damping element cooperates with the first contact wall of the rotor component with the smaller outer diameter, significantly reducing damping resistance. It does not need to bear an additional high damping load, significantly reducing motor power loss and reducing strut energy consumption. When the tailgate is hovering or the closing tendency needs to be suppressed, the damping element switches to contact the second contact wall of the rotor component with the larger outer diameter, forming sufficient damping force to prevent the lead screw from rotating in the opposite direction, ensuring reliable tailgate hovering and achieving energy consumption reduction.

[0007] According to some embodiments of this application, a tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle is provided, wherein a first contact wall and a second contact wall are arranged sequentially in a direction away from the drive motor, and the outer diameter of the second contact wall is larger than the outer diameter of the first contact wall; wherein the output end drives the lead screw to extend relative to the strut, and the damping member slides along the guide portion under the drive of the rotor component to engage with the first contact wall; the output end drives the lead screw to shorten relative to the strut, and the damping member slides along the guide portion under the drive of the rotor to engage with the second contact wall.

[0008] According to some embodiments of this application, a tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle has a guide portion configured as a guide groove formed on the inner wall of the damper housing, the guide groove being circumferentially inclined in a direction axially close to the output end, and at least a portion of the damping member being received within the guide groove.

[0009] According to some embodiments of this application, a tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle has a damping member having a radially protruding guide protrusion that engages with a guide groove.

[0010] According to some embodiments of this application, a tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle includes a guide groove comprising a first abutment surface and a second abutment surface, the first abutment surface and the second abutment surface being spaced apart in the circumferential direction, and both the upper end of the first abutment surface and the lower end of the second abutment surface having a limiting notch that is opposed to the guide groove, the limiting notch cooperating with the guide protrusion.

[0011] According to some embodiments of this application, a tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle has a damper housing with an axially extending through groove, one end of which communicates with the guide groove and the other end of which is open.

[0012] According to some embodiments of this application, in a tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle, the guide groove is configured as a plurality of spaced-apart grooves on the circumferential direction of the damper housing, and the damper element has a plurality of guide protrusions that correspond one-to-one with the guide grooves.

[0013] According to some embodiments of this application, a tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle includes a damping element constructed as a spring, which is disposed around the outer periphery of the rotor component. The spring can selectively contact either the first contact wall or the second contact wall and adjust the diameter of the spring.

[0014] According to some embodiments of this application, a tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle has a transition section between the first contact wall and the second contact wall, wherein the cross-sectional area of ​​the transition section gradually decreases in the direction toward the first contact wall.

[0015] The vehicle according to an embodiment of this application is briefly described below.

[0016] The vehicle according to the embodiments of this application includes the tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle of any of the above embodiments. Since the vehicle according to this embodiment is equipped with the tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle of any of the above embodiments, the tailgate strut assembly of the vehicle according to this application, through differentiated damping control, ensures that the motor only overcomes the gravity load when the tailgate is opened, avoiding the additional power loss caused by the traditional damper, directly reducing the energy consumption of the vehicle's low-voltage electrical system. Especially in scenarios where the tailgate is frequently opened, it can reduce the power consumption of the vehicle's battery, indirectly extending the battery's lifespan. At the same time, with the motor load reduced, the power output during the tailgate opening process is more stable, avoiding the damage caused by excessive load. The tailgate opening speed is reduced to prevent fluctuations or jamming, while also reducing motor noise and improving the smoothness and quietness of user operation. In addition, the energy reduction does not rely on complex additional control modules. The tailgate strut assembly has a high degree of integration and can be directly adapted to the vehicle's existing tailgate mounting structure without the need for large-scale vehicle body modifications. This reduces assembly complexity and cost during vehicle production. Moreover, the tailgate strut assembly can still ensure reliable tailgate fixation through high damping force when the tailgate is suspended, continuing the safety protection function for users and avoiding the risk of suspension failure due to the pursuit of energy reduction. This ensures the operational safety of passengers or users when the tailgate is open, achieving a balance between vehicle functionality and safety.

[0017] Additional aspects and advantages of this application will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of this application. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The above and / or additional aspects and advantages of this application will become apparent and readily understood from the description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the following drawings, in which: Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of a tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the lead screw, damper housing, rotor assembly and damping element according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the damper housing, rotor assembly, and damping element according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 yes Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the middle AA section; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the rotor assembly; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the rotor assembly mating with the first contact wall; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the rotor assembly and the second contact wall in operation.

[0019] Figure label: 100. Tailgate strut assembly; 1. Drive motor; 2. Lead screw; 3. Support pole; 4. Damper housing; 41. Guide groove; 411. First abutment surface; 412. Second abutment surface; 42. Limiting notch; 43. Through groove; 5. Rotor assembly; 51. First contact wall; 52. Second contact wall; 53. Transition section; 6. Damping components; 61. Guide protrusions. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The embodiments of this application are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application.

[0021] The following is for reference. Figures 1-7 This application describes a tailgate strut assembly 100 for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present application.

[0022] According to an embodiment of this application, a tailgate strut assembly 100 for a vehicle includes a drive motor 1, a lead screw 2, a strut 3, a damper housing 4, a rotor component 5, and a damping element 6. The drive motor 1 has a rotatable output end. The lead screw 2 is connected to the output end and rotates with the output end. The strut 3 has a telescopic cavity inside to accommodate the lead screw 2. The inner wall of the telescopic cavity has an internal thread for engaging with the lead screw 2. The lead screw 2 extends or retracts relative to the strut 3 under the drive of the drive motor 1. The damper housing 4 is connected to the outer shell of the drive motor 1. A guide portion is formed inside the damper housing 4. The rotor component 5 is connected to the output end, and the outer surface of the rotor has a first contact wall 51 and a second contact wall 52 arranged sequentially in the axial direction with different outer diameters. The damping element 6 is accommodated in the damper housing 4 and engages with the guide portion. The damping element 6 moves axially according to the output direction of the output end. The damping element 6 is sleeved on the outer periphery of the rotor component 5 and can selectively contact the first contact wall 51 or the second contact wall 52 to adjust the damping magnitude of the rotor component 5.

[0023] In current tailgate strut technologies, dampers are used to prevent the strut from retracting due to the tailgate's weight when the tailgate is open and hovering, ensuring reliable hovering and thus customer safety. When the tailgate is open, the damper prevents the strut from being easily compressed by external forces by blocking the rotation of the lead screw, thus hindering the closing motion. However, because the damper is connected in series with the lead screw, it also generates rotational resistance on the lead screw during the opening process. The damping force is the same as when the tailgate is hovering. This means that during the opening process, the motor must simultaneously overcome the dual load of the tailgate's weight and the damper's resistance, leading to increased energy consumption. Therefore, the damper becomes an unnecessary load during the opening process. First, the output end of the drive motor 1 is connected to the lead screw 2 for transmission and to the rotor component 5 for rotation. The damper housing 4 is fixedly connected to the outer shell of the drive motor 1. The damper housing 4 does not rotate with the lead screw 2 and the rotor component 5, which can provide a stable installation and guiding reference for the damping element 6. The damping element 6 has the freedom to move along the axial direction through cooperation with the guide part inside the damper housing 4, which provides a hardware basis for the differentiated adjustment of the damping force.

[0024] Specifically, when the tailgate enters the opening state, the drive motor 1 receives the opening command and drives the output end to rotate in the opening direction, and the rotor component 5 connected to the output end rotates in the same direction. At this time, the rotation trend of the rotor component 5 or the steering characteristics of the output end will cause the damping element 6 to move in one direction along the axial direction under the constraint of the guide part, and finally make the inner circumferential surface of the damping element 6 contact with the first contact wall 51 of the rotor component 5. Since there is a difference in outer diameter between the first contact wall 51 and the second contact wall 52, and the outer diameter of the first contact wall 51 is adapted to the opening condition requirements, the contact area between the damping element 6 and the first contact wall 51 is much smaller than its contact area with the second contact wall 52. According to the physical characteristic that the damping force is positively correlated with the contact area, the rotational damping force generated by the damping element 6 on the rotor component 5 will be significantly reduced at this time.

[0025] Because the rotor component 5 is rigidly connected to the output end of the drive motor 1, the low damping force is directly transmitted to the output end and then acts on the lead screw 2 connected to the output end. When the lead screw 2 rotates under the drive of the drive motor 1 and extends relative to the support rod 3, the load that the drive motor 1 needs to overcome is only the weight of the tailgate itself. Compared with the existing technology where the motor needs to overcome the dual load of gravity and constant high damping force at the same time, the significant reduction of damping force in this application directly reduces the additional power consumption of the motor, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the tailgate support rod 3 during the electric opening process.

[0026] When the tailgate is fully opened and enters a hovering state, or when it shows a tendency to close, the output of the drive motor 1 changes direction, and the damping component 6 moves in the opposite direction along the axis under the action of the guide. The inner wall of the damping component 6 is tightly fitted with the second contact wall 52 of the rotor component 5, and the increased contact area causes the damping force to rise. The damping force is transmitted to the lead screw 2 through the rotor component 5 and the output end, effectively preventing the lead screw 2 from rotating in the opposite direction and avoiding the support rod 3 from being compressed by external force, thus ensuring that the tailgate is reliably hovered. While reducing energy consumption, the core function of ensuring hovering safety in the existing technology is fully retained, without sacrificing product safety and reliability.

[0027] In short, by driving the output end of the motor 1 to link the lead screw 2 with the rotor component 5 with contact walls of different outer diameters, the damping element 6 moves axially within the damper housing 4 as the output end rotates, achieving differentiated damping control. When the door is opened, the damping element 6 cooperates with the first contact wall 51 of the rotor component 5, significantly reducing damping resistance, eliminating the need for additional high-damping loads, significantly reducing motor power loss, and reducing the energy consumption of the strut 3. When the tailgate is suspended or the closing tendency needs to be suppressed, the damping element 6 switches to contact the second contact wall 52 of the rotor component 5, forming sufficient damping force to prevent the lead screw 2 from rotating in the opposite direction, ensuring reliable suspension of the tailgate, and achieving energy consumption reduction.

[0028] According to some embodiments of this application, a tailgate strut assembly 100 for a vehicle has a first contact wall 51 and a second contact wall 52 arranged sequentially in a direction away from the drive motor 1, and the outer diameter of the second contact wall 52 is larger than the outer diameter of the first contact wall 51; wherein the output end drive screw 2 is extended relative to the strut 3, and the damping member 6 slides along the guide portion under the drive of the rotor component 5 to cooperate with the first contact wall 51; the output end drive screw 2 is shortened relative to the strut 3, and the damping member 6 slides along the guide portion under the drive of the rotor to cooperate with the second contact wall 52.

[0029] Specifically, when the tailgate needs to be opened electrically, a large damping force is not required. The output end of the drive motor 1 drives the lead screw 2 to extend relative to the support rod 3. At this time, the rotor component 5 rotates synchronously with the output end. Since the first contact wall 51 and the second contact wall 52 are arranged sequentially away from the drive motor 1, and the rotational characteristics of the rotor component 5 will drive the damping element 6 to slide along the guide part inside the damper housing 4, the damping element 6 will eventually cooperate with the first contact wall 51 with a smaller outer diameter of the rotor component 5. Since the contact area is positively correlated with the damping force, the smaller contact area significantly reduces the rotational damping force of the damping element 6 on the rotor component 5. This low damping force is transmitted to the lead screw 2 through the output end, so that the drive motor 1 only needs to overcome the weight of the tailgate to drive the lead screw 2 to extend, without having to bear the additional high damping load, thereby greatly reducing the energy consumption of the electric opening process.

[0030] When the tailgate needs to be closed or kept in a suspended state, a large damping force is required for support. The output end of the drive motor 1 drives the lead screw 2 to shorten relative to the support rod 3. At this time, the rotation direction of the rotor component 5 changes, causing the damping element 6 to slide in the opposite direction along the guide section, so that the damping element 6 cooperates with the second contact wall 52 with a larger outer diameter of the rotor component 5. The larger contact area significantly increases the damping force generated by the damping element 6. This high damping force is transmitted to the lead screw 2 through the output end, effectively preventing the lead screw 2 from rotating in the opposite direction due to the weight of the tailgate or external force, avoiding the unexpected retraction of the support rod 3, ensuring that the tailgate runs smoothly during the closing process, and can reliably maintain its position in the suspended state, ensuring safe use. While optimizing energy consumption, the stability and safety of the tailgate operation are fully preserved.

[0031] According to some embodiments of this application, a tailgate strut assembly 100 for a vehicle has a guide portion configured as a guide groove 41 formed on the inner wall of a damper housing 4. The guide groove 41 is circumferentially inclined in the direction axially close to the output end, and at least a portion of the damping member 6 is received within the guide groove 41.

[0032] When the output end of the drive motor 1 drives the rotor component 5 to rotate, since the damping element 6 is at least partially housed in the guide groove 41, and the guide groove 41 is inclined circumferentially in the direction close to the output end in the axial direction, the rotational motion of the rotor component 5 can be converted into the axial movement of the damping element 6 through the cooperation of the damping element 6 and the guide groove 41. Specifically, the rotation of the rotor component 5 will generate a circumferential force on the damping element 6, and the inclined guide groove 41 will decompose the circumferential force to form a component force that drives the damping element 6 to slide axially, so that the damping element 6 can move stably along the inclined trajectory of the guide groove 41, avoiding jamming or deviation, and ensuring that the damping element 6 can be switched to the position that cooperates with the first contact wall 51 or the second contact wall 52 of the rotor component 5.

[0033] When the tailgate opens and the output end drives the lead screw 2 to extend, the rotation direction of the rotor component 5 causes the damping element 6 to move axially towards the output end under the guidance of the inclined guide groove 41 and cooperate with the first contact wall 51 with a smaller outer diameter. By reducing the contact area, the damping force is reduced, thereby reducing the motor drive load and reducing energy consumption. When the tailgate needs to be closed or kept hovering and the output end drives the lead screw 2 to shorten, the rotor component 5 rotates in the opposite direction. The damping element 6 moves axially away from the output end under the guidance of the inclined guide groove 41 and cooperates with the second contact wall 52 with a larger outer diameter. By increasing the contact area, the damping force is increased, preventing the lead screw 2 from rotating in the opposite direction to ensure hovering safety and smooth closing. Throughout the process, the structural design of the inclined guide groove 41 ensures the accuracy and stability of the axial movement of the damping element 6, avoiding the failure of damping force adjustment due to the movement deviation of the damping element 6. Thus, while reducing energy consumption, it further ensures the reliability of the tailgate strut assembly 100's working condition switching, ensuring that both energy consumption optimization and safety protection functions can be stably achieved.

[0034] According to some embodiments of this application, a tailgate strut assembly 100 for a vehicle has a damping member 6 having a radially protruding guide protrusion 61 that engages with a guide groove 41.

[0035] Furthermore, when the output of the drive motor 1 drives the rotor component 5 to rotate, the damping element 6, being sleeved on the outer periphery of the rotor component 5, will tend to move circumferentially with it. However, since the guide protrusion 61 of the damping element 6 is embedded in the guide groove 41, the guide groove 41 will form a circumferential limit on the guide protrusion 61, making it impossible for the damping element 6 to rotate circumferentially synchronously with the rotor component 5. At this time, the circumferential rotational force of the rotor component 5 will be converted into an axial force that pushes the guide protrusion 61 to slide along the guide groove 41, forcing the damping element 6 to move axially in a stable manner along the inclined trajectory of the guide groove 41. This ensures that the damping element 6 can switch to a position that cooperates with the first contact wall 51 or the second contact wall 52 of the rotor component 5, avoiding contact misalignment caused by the circumferential movement of the damping element 6, and ensuring the reliability of the damping force adjustment.

[0036] When the tailgate is opened electrically, the guide protrusion 61 moves along the guide groove 41 to move the damping element 6 closer to the output end, so that it cooperates with the first contact wall 51 with a smaller outer diameter. By reducing the contact area, the damping force is reduced, the motor load is reduced, and energy consumption is reduced. When the tailgate needs to be closed or suspended, the guide protrusion 61 moves along the guide groove 41 to move the damping element 6 away from the output end, so that it cooperates with the second contact wall 52 with a larger outer diameter. By increasing the contact area, the damping force is increased, and the screw 2 is prevented from rotating in the opposite direction to ensure safety.

[0037] According to some embodiments of this application, a tailgate strut assembly 100 for a vehicle includes a guide groove 41 comprising a first abutment surface 411 and a second abutment surface 412, the first abutment surface 411 and the second abutment surface 412 being spaced apart in the circumferential direction, and both the upper end of the first abutment surface 411 and the lower end of the second abutment surface 412 having a limiting notch 42 that is away from the guide groove 41, the limiting notch 42 cooperating with a guide protrusion 61.

[0038] When the output of the drive motor 1 drives the rotor component 5 to rotate, thereby pushing the guide protrusion 61 to slide along the guide groove 41, the first abutment surface 411 and the second abutment surface 412 are spaced apart in the circumferential direction, providing bidirectional circumferential limit for the guide protrusion 61. This ensures that the guide protrusion 61 can only move axially along the groove defined by the two abutment surfaces, preventing the guide protrusion 61 from deviating from the preset trajectory during sliding, ensuring the accuracy of the axial movement of the damping component 6, and thus ensuring that the damping component 6 can accurately cooperate with the first contact wall 51 or the second contact wall 52 of the rotor component 5.

[0039] When the tailgate is electrically opened to the target position and the damping element 6 needs to stably engage with the first contact wall 51, the guide protrusion 61 slides along the guide groove 41 to the limiting notch 42 formed at the upper end of the first abutment surface 411. The structural design of the limiting notch 42, which is away from the guide groove 41, will axially limit the guide protrusion 61, preventing it from sliding further. This keeps the damping element 6 stably in the position engaging with the first contact wall 51, ensuring a stable and continuous low-damping state. This avoids abnormal increases in damping force due to accidental movement of the damping element 6, thereby maintaining low-load operation of the motor and ensuring stability. This ensures reduced energy consumption. When the tailgate needs to be closed or enter a hovering state, the damping component 6 needs to switch to cooperate with the second contact wall 52. The rotor component 5 rotates in the opposite direction, causing the guide protrusion 61 to disengage from the limiting notch 42 of the first abutment surface 411 and slide in the opposite direction along the guide groove 41 until the guide protrusion 61 is constrained by the limiting notch 42 formed at the lower end of the second abutment surface 412. This keeps the damping component 6 stably in the position of cooperating with the second contact wall 52, ensuring that the high damping force acts stably on the lead screw 2, effectively preventing the lead screw 2 from rotating in the opposite direction, and ensuring the safety of the tailgate hovering and smooth closing.

[0040] like Figure 4As shown, it should be noted that, taking the limiting notch 42 formed at the upper end of the first abutment surface 411 as the base point, the guide groove 41 is inclined in the direction of counterclockwise rotation of the rotor component 5. When the tailgate is electrically opened, the rotor component 5 rotates clockwise. In conjunction with the guide groove 41, the rotation of the rotor component 5 is converted into a component force of the damping element 6 moving axially toward the first contact wall 51. The guide protrusion 61 can slide along the guide groove 41 to the limiting notch 42 formed at the upper end of the first abutment surface 411, and the damping element 6 is displaced into position. At this time, the damping element 6 cooperates with the first contact wall 51 to obtain a smaller damping force. When the tailgate needs to be closed or needs to be kept in a hovering state, the rotor component will rotate counterclockwise. In conjunction with the guide groove 41, the rotation of the rotor component 5 is converted into a component force of the damping element 6 moving axially toward the second contact wall 52. At this time, the guide protrusion 61 disengages from the limiting notch 42 of the first abutment surface 411 and slides in the opposite direction along the guide groove 41 until the guide protrusion 61 is constrained by the limiting notch 42 formed at the lower end of the second abutment surface 412. The damping element 6 is displaced into place. At this time, the damping element 6 cooperates with the second contact wall 52. Since the outer diameter of the second contact wall 52 is larger than the outer wall of the first contact wall 51, a larger damping force is obtained.

[0041] According to some embodiments of this application, a tailgate strut assembly 100 for a vehicle has a damper housing 4 with an axially extending through groove 43 formed on it. One end of the through groove 43 is connected to a guide groove 41, and the other end of the through groove 43 is open.

[0042] The damping component 6 achieves axial sliding by engaging with the guide groove 41 through the radial guide protrusion 61. The through groove 43, with one end connected to the guide groove 41 and the other end open, forms an axially connected channel between the guide groove 41 and the outside of the damper housing 4. When it is necessary to remove the damping component 6, the damping component 6 can be pushed along the guide groove 41 by external force, so that the guide protrusion 61 of the damping component 6 enters the through groove 43 from the guide groove 41. Since the through groove 43 extends axially and the other end is unobstructed and remains open, the guide protrusion 61 can slide directly out of the damper housing 4 along the axial channel of the through groove 43, thereby driving the entire damping component 6 out of the internal space of the damper housing 4. There is no need to disassemble the damper housing 4 or damage other mating structures, which greatly reduces the difficulty of removing the damping component 6.

[0043] Meanwhile, the axial extension of the through groove 43 and its connection with the guide groove 41 can also play a guiding role when the damping component 6 is installed, so that the guide protrusion 61 of the damping component 6 can first enter from the through end of the through groove 43, and then slide into the guide groove 41 along the through groove 43.

[0044] According to some embodiments of this application, the tailgate strut assembly 100 for a vehicle has a guide groove 41 configured as a plurality of spaced-apart guide grooves 4 around the damper housing 4, and a plurality of guide protrusions 61 are formed on the damper member 6 corresponding to the guide grooves 41 one by one.

[0045] During the axial sliding process of the damping element 6 following the rotation of the rotor component 5, multiple guide grooves 41 spaced circumferentially and corresponding guide protrusions 61 form multi-point constraints. Compared to single-point engagement, multi-point engagement can limit the movement trajectory of the damping element 6 from different circumferential positions, effectively counteracting the circumferential yaw force or radial offset tendency of the damping element 6 caused by the rotation of the rotor component 5. This prevents the damping element 6 from tilting, jamming, or abnormally rubbing against the inner wall of the damper housing 4 / rotor component 5 during sliding, ensuring that the damping element 6 always moves smoothly along the preset axial trajectory, thereby ensuring the precise movement of the damping element 6. The damping component 6 is precisely and stably engaged with the first contact wall 51 or the second contact wall 52 of the rotor component 5, ensuring that the damping force adjustment always meets the working conditions. This avoids energy consumption control failure or hovering safety hazards caused by misalignment of the damping component 6. At the same time, the one-to-one correspondence between the multiple guide grooves 41 and the guide protrusions 61 can also evenly distribute the circumferential and radial forces borne by the damping component 6 to multiple engagement points, avoiding excessive wear at a single engagement point due to force concentration. This extends the service life of the guide protrusions 61 and the guide grooves 41, reduces the increase in engagement clearance caused by component wear, and thus maintains the stability of the movement of the damping component 6 for a long time.

[0046] According to some embodiments of this application, a tailgate strut assembly 100 for a vehicle has a damping element 6 constructed as a spring, which is disposed around the outer periphery of a rotor component 5. The spring can selectively contact a first contact wall 51 or a second contact wall 52 and adjust the diameter of the spring.

[0047] Understandably, when the tailgate is opened electrically, the output of the drive motor 1 drives the rotor component 5 to rotate, causing the spring to move axially to the position corresponding to the first contact wall 51. Since the outer diameter of the first contact wall 51 is smaller than other areas of the rotor component 5, the diameter of the spring automatically shrinks under the elastic reset action. The inner circumferential wall of the spring after shrinkage can fit tightly with the outer wall surface of the first contact wall 51. At this time, the contact pressure between the two is small, and the frictional damping force generated is low. This low damping force is transmitted to the lead screw 2 through the rotor component 5, so that the drive motor 1 only needs to overcome the weight of the tailgate to drive the lead screw 2 to extend, without having to bear the additional high damping load, effectively reducing the energy consumption of the electric opening process.

[0048] When the tailgate needs to be closed or enters a hovering state, the rotor component 5 rotates in the opposite direction, causing the spring to move axially to the position corresponding to the second contact wall 52. Because the outer diameter of the second contact wall 52 is larger than that of the first contact wall 51, its outer wall surface forms a radial spreading force on the spring, forcing the spring diameter to increase elastically. The increased inner circumferential wall of the spring can completely fit with the outer wall surface of the second contact wall 52, increasing the contact pressure between the two and significantly improving the frictional damping force. This high damping force can effectively prevent the rotor component 5 and the lead screw 2 from rotating in the opposite direction, preventing the support rod 3 from accidentally contracting due to the weight of the tailgate or external forces, ensuring the stability of the tailgate position when hovering and the smooth movement when closing, thus ensuring safe use. At the same time, the elastic diameter adjustment characteristic of the spring allows it to always maintain a wall-fitting state when cooperating with different contact walls, avoiding the failure of damping force due to contact gaps. Moreover, the spring structure has good fatigue resistance and can stably maintain the damping adjustment function for a long time, further improving the reliability and durability of the component operation.

[0049] According to some embodiments of this application, a tailgate strut assembly 100 for a vehicle has a transition section 53 between a first contact wall 51 and a second contact wall 52, wherein the cross-sectional area of ​​the transition section 53 gradually decreases in the direction toward the first contact wall 51.

[0050] When the tailgate is opened electrically, the spring moves axially from the second contact wall 52 to the first contact wall 51 and will first contact the transition section 53. Since the cross-sectional area of ​​the transition section 53 gradually decreases as it approaches the first contact wall 51, it provides a gradual radial space for the spring to change diameter. The spring does not need to make a sudden diameter adjustment when switching contact walls, but can gradually increase its diameter as the cross-sectional area of ​​the transition section 53 changes. This avoids the spring from getting stuck or deformed due to sudden changes in radial space, significantly improving the smoothness of the spring diameter change process and ensuring that the damping element 6 always moves stably along the axial direction without deviation or jamming.

[0051] The smooth diameter change of the spring in the transition section 53 simultaneously reduces the contact area and pressure between the damping element 6 and the transition section 53 during the movement process. The damping force smoothly transitions from a high damping value to a low damping value, rather than a sudden jump. This avoids impact on the drive motor 1 caused by sudden changes in damping force, ensuring smooth motor operation. It also prevents jerking or sudden speed increases during tailgate opening, improving operational smoothness. When the tailgate switches to the closed or hovered state, the spring moves axially from the first contact wall 51 to the second contact wall 52. The gradually increasing cross-sectional area of ​​the transition section 53 guides the spring diameter to gradually decrease, similarly achieving a smooth transition of damping force from low to high. This avoids sudden stops due to a sudden increase in damping force at the initial stage of tailgate closing and further reduces friction and wear between the spring and the contact wall during diameter change, extending component life.

[0052] The vehicle according to an embodiment of this application is briefly described below.

[0053] The vehicle according to the embodiments of this application includes the tailgate strut assembly 100 for a vehicle according to any of the above embodiments. Since the vehicle according to this embodiment is equipped with the tailgate strut assembly 100 for a vehicle according to any of the above embodiments, the tailgate strut assembly 100 for the vehicle according to this application, through differentiated damping control, ensures that the motor only overcomes the gravity load when the tailgate is opened, avoiding the additional power loss caused by the traditional damper, directly reducing the energy consumption of the vehicle's low-voltage electrical system. Especially in scenarios where the tailgate is frequently opened, it can reduce the power consumption of the vehicle's battery, indirectly extending the battery's lifespan. At the same time, with the motor load reduced, the power output during the tailgate opening process is more stable, avoiding the problem of excessive load. This design reduces opening speed fluctuations or jamming caused by excessive energy consumption, while also lowering motor noise, improving the smoothness and quietness of tailgate operation. Furthermore, the reduced energy consumption does not rely on complex additional control modules. The tailgate strut assembly 100 has a high degree of structural integration and can be directly adapted to the vehicle's existing tailgate mounting structure without requiring large-scale modifications to the vehicle body, reducing assembly complexity and costs during vehicle production. Even when the tailgate is suspended, the tailgate strut assembly 100 can still ensure reliable tailgate fixation through high damping force, continuing the safety protection function for users and avoiding the risk of suspension failure due to the pursuit of energy reduction. This ensures the operational safety of passengers or users when the tailgate is open, achieving a balance between vehicle functionality and safety.

[0054] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0055] In the description of this application, "first feature" and "second feature" may include one or more of the features.

[0056] In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more.

[0057] In the description of this application, the first feature being "above" or "below" the second feature may include the first and second features being in direct contact, or it may include the first and second features not being in direct contact but being in contact through another feature between them.

[0058] In the description of this application, the terms "above," "over," and "on top" for the first feature and the second feature include the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicate that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature.

[0059] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this application. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

[0060] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle, characterized in that, include: A drive motor (1) is provided with a rotatable output end; Lead screw (2), the lead screw (2) is connected to the output end and rotates with the output end; The support rod (3) has a telescopic cavity inside to accommodate the lead screw (2). The inner wall of the telescopic cavity is provided with an internal thread to cooperate with the lead screw (2). The lead screw (2) extends or retracts relative to the support rod (3) under the drive of the drive motor (1). The damper housing (4) is connected to the housing of the drive motor (1), and a guide portion is formed inside the damper housing (4); The rotor component (5) is connected to the output end and the outer surface of the rotor is formed with a first contact wall (51) and a second contact wall (52) arranged sequentially in the axial direction and having different outer diameters. The damping element (6) is housed within the damper housing (4) and cooperates with the guide portion. The damping element (6) can be selectively moved axially according to the output direction of the output end. The damping element (6) is sleeved on the outer periphery of the rotor component (5) and can selectively contact the first contact wall (51) or the second contact wall (52) to adjust the damping magnitude of the rotor component (5).

2. The tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first contact wall (51) and the second contact wall (52) are arranged sequentially in a direction away from the drive motor (1), and the outer diameter of the second contact wall (52) is larger than the outer diameter of the first contact wall (51); in The output end drives the lead screw (2) to extend relative to the support rod (3), and the damping element (6) slides along the guide portion to cooperate with the first contact wall (51) under the drive of the rotor component (5); The output end drives the lead screw (2) to shorten relative to the support rod (3), and the damping element (6) slides along the guide portion under the drive of the rotor to cooperate with the second contact wall (52).

3. The tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The guide portion is constructed as a guide groove (41) formed on the inner wall of the damper housing (4). The guide groove (41) is inclined circumferentially in the direction of axial proximity to the output end. At least a portion of the damping member (6) is housed in the guide groove (41).

4. The tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle according to claim 3, characterized in that, The damping element (6) has a protruding guide protrusion (61) in the radial direction, which engages with the guide groove (41).

5. The tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that, The guide groove (41) includes: The first abutting surface (411) and the second abutting surface (412) are spaced apart in the circumferential direction. The upper end of the first abutting surface (411) and the lower end of the second abutting surface (412) are both formed with a limiting notch (42) that is away from the guide groove (41). The limiting notch (42) cooperates with the guide protrusion (61).

6. The tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle according to claim 5, characterized in that, A through groove (43) extending axially is formed on the damper housing (4). One end of the through groove (43) is connected to the guide groove (41), and the other end of the through groove (43) is open.

7. The tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle according to claim 4, characterized in that, The guide groove (41) is configured to be a plurality of spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the damper housing (4), and the damping member (6) has a plurality of guide protrusions (61) that correspond one-to-one with the guide groove (41).

8. The tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, The damping element (6) is constructed as a spring, which is arranged around the outer periphery of the rotor component (5). The spring can selectively contact the first contact wall (51) or the second contact wall (52) and adjust the diameter of the spring.

9. The tailgate strut assembly for a vehicle according to claim 2, characterized in that, A transition section (53) is provided between the first contact wall (51) and the second contact wall (52), and the cross-sectional area of ​​the transition section (53) gradually decreases in the direction toward the first contact wall (51).

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes the tailgate strut assembly (100) as described in any one of claims 1-9 above.

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