Actuating device, motor vehicle with an actuating device and method for operating an actuating device

Abstract

Adjusting device (10) for moving at least one air deflection element (60) for a motor vehicle (70), with at least one gear (20) by means of which the air deflection element (60) can be moved along an adjustment path (50), wherein the at least one transmission (20) is a non-uniformly transmitting transmission, wherein the transmission (20) comprises a plurality of transmission members (22, 24, 26) which are connected to form a kinematic chain, characterized in that at least one of the gear members (22, 24, 26) is telescopic.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an actuating device for moving at least one air deflection element for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one gear by means of which the air deflection element can be moved along an adjustment path. A second aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle with such an actuating device. A third aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating an actuating device.

[0002] Such actuators are used, for example, in electrically adjustable air vents for ventilating the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle. Such air vents are often mounted in the passenger compartment of the vehicle—for example, on an instrument panel—so that they can pivot vertically and, additionally or alternatively, horizontally. Furthermore, these air vents can also be mounted rotatably to allow air to flow to a particularly large area of ​​the passenger compartment, thus achieving particularly comprehensive ventilation.

[0003] With the increasing digitalization and electrification of vehicle interiors, many automated interior ventilation systems utilize operating concepts such as gesture control or touchpads, which can be used to activate and remotely control an electrically driven actuator. Often, at least two drive motors are provided to enable horizontal and vertical movement of the air vents. A gearbox can be provided for each drive motor to transmit drive forces from the respective drive motor to the air vent. In such gearboxes, a pinion coupled to a drive shaft of the respective drive motor can engage with a rack coupled to the air vent, to name just one example.

[0004] DE 102 31 580 A1 describes a ventilation nozzle with pivoting horizontal and vertical slats. The horizontal and vertical slats are adjustable by respective gears driven by a drive designed as a solenoid, which are coupled to the horizontal and vertical slats via adjusting wheels. When the solenoid is attracted, the horizontal slats pivot and the vertical slats rotate. For simultaneous operation of the adjusting wheels and thus the horizontal and vertical slats, the solenoid is connected to a coupling rod with a fork-shaped end, at which the coupling rod is coupled to the respective gears.

[0005] DE 103 10 879 A1 relates to an air nozzle with an actuating device, wherein the air nozzle is formed by at least two different air nozzle units arranged next to one another, which can be operated by a common actuating device. A central air nozzle unit can have five louvers, with a central louver being provided with three pins on each side. The pin arranged on the inside is long enough to protrude through an elongated hole in the housing wall and into a curved track of a cam disc arranged outside the housing. The two cam discs are firmly connected to one another via a shaft passing through the housing, which is arranged as an extension of the central louver. The pin is shorter and is received in two receptacles, each formed on an arm of an upper and a lower louver arrangement.On the outside of each of the two arms, a pin is attached, which projects into corresponding openings in the housing and serves as a pivot axis for the respective slat arrangement. The pin located on the outside projects into the aforementioned elongated hole, but does not protrude beyond the housing. The drive is provided by the cam disc, which is driven by a drive shaft (not shown in detail). This document was used to formulate the preamble of the independent claims.

[0006] DE 10 2012 013 506 A1 shows an air flow adjustment device for an air vent of a vehicle and an air vent for a vehicle

[0007] DE 20 2011 050 523 U1 shows a combined actuator for closing and opening and for moving horizontal and vertical slats into intermediate positions, which are pivotable about horizontal or vertical axes, arranged in spatially separated air flow openings arranged one below the other or one above the other, in a single-part or multi-part air flow housing.

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide an adjusting device of the type mentioned above that enables particularly low-effort movement of at least one air deflection element. A further object of the invention is to provide a motor vehicle and a method that enable particularly low-effort ventilation.

[0009] These objects are achieved according to the invention by an actuating device having the features of patent claim 1, by a motor vehicle having the features of patent claim 7 and by a method having the features of patent claim 8.

[0010] A first aspect of the invention relates to an actuating device for moving at least one air deflection element for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one gear mechanism by means of which the air deflection element can be moved along an adjustment path. The air deflection element can be designed, for example, as an air vent. Alternatively, the air deflection element can also be designed as a single slat of an air vent or as a slat arrangement—for example, in the form of a movable louvre grille—of such an air vent.

[0011] According to the invention, it is provided that the at least one gear is a non-uniformly transmitting gear. This is advantageous because, by means of a non-uniformly transmitting gear, various and complex adjustment path profiles can be specified, i.e., even a superposition of horizontal and vertical movements, for example, in the form of a curved and / or track-shaped adjustment path. In particular, by means of a non-uniformly transmitting gear, a self-contained adjustment path can be specified, which, at least theoretically, enables the movement of the air deflection element as a continuous, circumferential movement. This advantageously enables a particularly uniform, unidirectional air supply and, in addition, an actuator driving the gear, for example, can always rotate in the same direction, thereby avoiding any load changes of the actuator that could shorten its service life.An example of a self-contained adjustment path is an ellipse.

[0012] To move the actuator, for example, just one actuator is sufficient to drive the non-uniformly transmitting gear and thereby move the air deflection element into different positions along the adjustment path. Thus, in contrast to systems known from the prior art, in which one actuator is provided for each horizontal movement and one for each vertical movement, a particularly low-effort movement of the at least one air deflection element is possible. In the following, the "non-uniformly transmitting gear" is also referred to simply and in short as "gear". The gear can be designed, for example, as a coupling gear or as a cam gear. The gear can also move a plurality of air deflection elements simultaneously in that they can be coupled to the gear.The gear mechanism can be driven by an actuator, for example, and the air deflection elements can therefore be moved into different positions along the adjustment path, for example on a two-dimensional plane. In doing so, an adjustment path predetermined by the gear mechanism, i.e. by the design of the gear mechanism, can be followed. This path can also be referred to as the pattern of the adjustment path. In order to move the air deflection element to a specific position along the adjustment path, the air deflection element can simply be moved along the adjustment path by driving the gear mechanism until this position is reached. Useful patterns (adjustment path paths) that can be realized using the gear mechanism can be, for example, a "spiral" or a "figure eight", to name just a few examples.

[0013] "Moving" the air deflection element or multiple air deflection elements by means of the gear means that at least a portion of the air deflection element can be moved according to the adjustment path. Other portions of the air deflection element connected to the portion can be held stationary in a housing accommodating the air deflection element, but can be pivoted and additionally or alternatively rotated as a result of the movement of the portion, allowing the air flow to be redirected accordingly.

[0014] According to the invention, the transmission comprises a plurality of transmission links connected to form a kinematic chain. This is advantageous because the kinematic chain allows for a particularly defined movement using, for example, a single actuator. The more transmission links provided, the more complex the adjustment path resulting from the plurality of transmission links and their kinematic coupling can be, and the more areas—for example, a passenger compartment—can be subjected to an air flow deflected by the air deflection element.

[0015] According to the invention, at least one of the gear members is also telescopic. This is advantageous because telescoping at least one of the gear members allows for a particularly simple change in the course of the adjustment path. The telescoping thus allows for a change in the length of at least one of the gear members.

[0016] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the gear mechanism allows the adjustment path to be set. In other words, the gear mechanism is designed to adjust the adjustment path. This is advantageous because adjusting the path allows the adjustment path to be adapted to the operator's desired adjustment. For adjusting the path, spring elements or coupling elements, for example, can be provided, by means of which a relative movement, for example, between adjacent and mutually coupled gear members, can be influenced.

[0017] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the transmission comprises at least one coupling gear component. This is advantageous because such a coupling gear component can be used to specify a particularly complex adjustment path, allowing an air flow to be redirected into a particularly large number of areas - for example, a passenger compartment - by means of the air deflection element. The term coupling gear component is understood to mean a complete coupling gear which can be driven by an actuator on a transmission element, for example designed as a crank. Several coupling gear components can also be driven by an actuator, for example, and coupled to one another, whereby, for example, air deflection elements spaced apart from one another can also be adjusted along a respective adjustment path by one of the coupling gear components.The coupling gear component can comprise a plurality of gear members which can be moved relative to one another. The gear members can have different dimensions and, in particular, different shapes. It is also conceivable for the coupling gear component to comprise at least two gear members which are coupled to one another and can rotate relative to one another and which can enclose an angle with one another which can be changed depending on a position of the at least one air deflection element on the adjustment path. A spring element can be provided between the gear members, by means of which a position-dependent spring force can be exerted on the at least two gear members which are coupled to one another and can rotate relative to one another. The angle can be adjustable depending on the spring force.By providing such a spring element, the movement of the air deflection element can be accelerated, for example, between different positions along the adjustment path, as a result of the spring force being exerted. This eliminates the need to increase the speed of an actuator driving the transmission or the coupling gear component to achieve the acceleration. By accelerating via the spring element, a particularly short blowing action, perceived as a pleasant, light breeze, can be easily achieved by a vehicle occupant.

[0018] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the gear mechanism comprises at least one cam mechanism component. This is advantageous because, for example, a rotational movement can be easily converted into a translational movement using the cam mechanism component. This allows for a particularly complex adjustment path. The term "cam mechanism component" refers to a complete cam mechanism, which can be driven by an actuator.

[0019] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, a coupling element is provided between at least two gear members, by means of which a relative movement between the at least two gear members can be blocked in a coupling position of the coupling element and released in a release position. This is advantageous because the coupling element allows for a particularly simple change in the course of the adjustment path.

[0020] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least one actuator is provided to drive the transmission. The actuator can, for example, be designed as a linear motor and drive a rack.

[0021] A gearwheel coupled to the transmission can be driven by the rack. A linear motor can be operated with particularly low friction losses. The actuator can also be designed as an electric motor with a rotating drive shaft, by means of which the gearwheel can be driven. Such an electric motor with a rotating drive shaft can be accommodated in a particularly small installation space.

[0022] A second aspect of the invention relates to a motor vehicle with an actuating device according to the invention. Such a motor vehicle can, for example, be ventilated in its passenger compartment with particularly little effort.

[0023] A third aspect of the invention relates to a method for operating an actuating device for moving at least one air deflection element for a motor vehicle, in which the at least one air deflection element is moved by at least one gear along an adjustment path.

[0024] According to the invention, a non-uniformly transmitting transmission is used as the transmission. The use of a non-uniformly transmitting transmission enables movement of the air deflection element along an adjustment path designed as a closed curve. A particularly simple actuator can be used to drive the transmission, which can rotate in only one direction and can therefore be particularly inexpensive and lightweight. According to the invention, the transmission comprises a plurality of transmission links connected to form a kinematic chain, wherein a change in the course of the adjustment path is adjusted by at least one telescopically designed transmission link.

[0025] The preferred embodiments and their advantages presented with respect to the first aspect of the invention apply accordingly to the second aspect and to the third aspect of the invention and vice versa.

[0026] The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the respective combination specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0027] Further advantages, features and details of the invention emerge from the claims, the following description of preferred embodiments and from the drawings

[0028] The invention is explained once again below using a specific embodiment. This shows: Fig. 1 a perspective view of a partial area of ​​a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, wherein a skin temperature of a driver is detected by means of a vehicle sensor and, depending on sensor data characterizing the temperature, a movement of a plurality of air deflection elements designed as air vents takes place by an actuating device; Fig. 2 a front view of an instrument panel in which several air vents are accommodated which can be moved along different adjustment paths by means of the adjusting device; and Fig. 3 a schematic representation of the adjusting device.

[0029] Fig. Figure 1 shows a section of a motor vehicle 70 in whose passenger compartment a person is sitting. The temperature of the person is detected by means of a vehicle sensor 72. Depending on the sensor data characterizing the temperature of the vehicle sensor 72, a plurality of air deflection elements 60, designed as respective louvre grilles, are moved by an actuating device 10, which is arranged in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is only indicated schematically. The air deflection elements 60, like the vehicle sensor 72, are mounted on an instrument panel of the motor vehicle 70.

[0030] Fig. Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of the actuating device 10 comprising a gear 20, by means of which at least a portion of the air deflection element 60 is movable along an adjustment path 50. The air deflection element 60 is accommodated in a housing (not shown here) and is movable relative to the housing. The housing is mounted in the instrument panel. Fig. 3, the air deflection element 60, which is only schematically indicated for reasons of clarity, is coupled to the transmission 20 via a coupling element 28. The transmission 20 is designed as a non-uniformly transmitting transmission and comprises a coupling transmission component 30 and a cam transmission component 40 kinematically coupled thereto.

[0031] The transmission 20 is mounted on two fixed bearings 74, 76 in a fixed position within the motor vehicle 10—for example, on the instrument panel. The two transmission components 30, 40 are driven by an actuator 12 via a toothed belt 14, with a pinion 18 mounted on a drive shaft of the actuator 12 engaging the toothed belt 14. When driven, the drive shaft of the actuator 12 rotates according to a rotational movement 13 indicated by an arrow and thus, in this case, in only one direction of rotation. Other drive components can also be provided instead of the toothed belt 14.

[0032] The transmission 20 comprises a plurality of transmission links 22, 24, 26 connected to form a kinematic chain. The transmission links can each have a rotation limiter (not shown here), for example in the form of a stop, at their respective connection points, where two of the transmission links 22, 24, 26 are mounted relative to one another in a plane. Such rotation limits allow the transmission 20 to be easily configured to enable kinematically determined movement. The transmission link 22 is rotatably mounted on the fixed bearing 74.

[0033] By means of the gear 20, various, for example in Fig. 2 and Fig.3, and in each case, the paths 52, 54 of the adjustment path 50 are adjustable, each shown in exemplary and different forms. Due to the coupling of the air deflection element 60 to the gear 20 by means of the coupling element 28, the air deflection element 60 can be moved into various positions along the adjustment path 50. The adjustment path 50 is designed as a closed adjustment path, and the adjustable paths 52, 54 have superimposed horizontal movements H and vertical movements V.

[0034] To realize the complex curves 52, 54, the gear member 22 is telescopic, and a coupling element 32 is provided between the two gear members 24, 26. By means of the coupling element 32, a relative movement 34 between the at least two gear members 24, 26 can be blocked in a coupling position of the coupling element and released in a release position. Furthermore, the gear member 26 is rotatably mounted at its end 27, closer to the fixed bearing 76, on a link 44 of a rotatable disk 41 of the cam gear component 40. Furthermore, the link end 27, in its mounting on the link 44, is displaceable relative to the link, thereby creating a further possibility for adjusting the shape of the respective curves 52, 54. The disk 41 is rotatably mounted on the fixed bearing 76 and can also be driven by the actuator 12 via the toothed belt 14.The link end 27 establishes a kinematic connection between the coupling gear component 30 and the cam gear component 40 and is slidably mounted in the slotted guide 44, which is embodied here, for example, as a guide slot. In the slotted guide 44, the link end 27 of the gear link 26 is movable according to a curved path 42 indicated by a double arrow.

[0035] In order to create a further adjustment possibility for adjusting the courses 52, 54, a spring element 16 is provided on the two gear members 22, 24 which are coupled to one another and rotatable relative to one another, by means of which a spring force dependent on the position of the air deflection element 60 can be exerted on the two gear members 22, 24 which are coupled to one another and rotatable relative to one another.

[0036] In summary, in an automated interior ventilation system—for example, the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle 70—the actuating device 10 can be used to achieve horizontal deflection (horizontal movement H) and vertical deflection (vertical movement V) using a single drive (actuator 12). By driving the gear 20 by means of the actuator 12, it is possible to move (adjust) one or more air deflection elements 60 coupled to the gear 20 in a specific, predeterminable movement pattern (adjustment path 50).

Claims

[1] Adjusting device (10) for moving at least one air deflection element (60) for a motor vehicle (70), with at least one gear (20) by means of which the air deflection element (60) can be moved along an adjustment path (50), wherein the at least one transmission (20) is a non-uniformly transmitting transmission, wherein the transmission (20) comprises a plurality of transmission members (22, 24, 26) which are connected to form a kinematic chain, characterized by , that at least one of the gear members (22, 24, 26) is telescopic. [2] Adjusting device (10) according to claim 1, characterized by that a course (52, 54) of the adjustment path (50) can be adjusted by means of the gear (20). [3] Adjusting device (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the transmission (20) comprises at least one coupling transmission component (30). [4] Adjusting device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the transmission (20) comprises at least one cam transmission component (40). [5] Adjusting device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that a coupling element (32) is provided between at least two transmission members (24, 26), by means of which a relative movement (34) between the at least two transmission members (24, 26) can be blocked in a coupling position of the coupling element (32) and can be released in a release position. [6] Adjusting device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that at least one actuator (12) is provided for driving the transmission (20). [7] Motor vehicle (70) with an actuating device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6. [8] Method for operating an actuating device (10) for moving at least one air deflection element (60) for a motor vehicle (70), in which the at least one air deflection element (60) is moved by at least one gear (20) along an adjustment path (50), wherein a non-uniformly transmitting transmission is used as the transmission (20), wherein the transmission (20) comprises a plurality of transmission elements (22, 24, 26) which are connected to form a kinematic chain, characterized by , that a change in a course (52, 54) of the adjustment path (50) is set by at least one telescopically designed gear member (22, 24, 26).

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