VEHICLE FLAP ARRANGEMENT AND MOTOR VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH IT

Abstract

Vehicle flap arrangement (10) of a motor vehicle, comprising - a vehicle flap (20) hinged to a body (92) of the motor vehicle, - a first linkage (32) which articulates the vehicle flap (20) to the body (92) and which is equipped with a drive (34) for opening and / or closing the vehicle flap (20), and - a second link (36) which articulately connects the vehicle flap (20) to the body (92), which supports the vehicle flap (20) on the body (92) and which is provided with a spring support (40), wherein the spring support (40) is provided with an insert damping device (50) which dampens a closing movement of the vehicle flap (20), characterized in that the first link (32) is provided with a compensating element (60) arranged in series with the drive (34), which comprises a coil spring, an elastomer spring, a gas cartridge and / or a disc spring assembly.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle flap arrangement according to the preamble of claim 1 and a motor vehicle equipped therewith according to the preamble of claim 8.

[0002] The so-called automatic tailgate, meaning a tailgate that opens and closes automatically using a motor, is becoming increasingly popular in motor vehicles. The same applies to front hatches, which often form the hood but can also provide access to a front-mounted trunk. These types of hatches typically use an electric drive on both the driver's and passenger's side. Using two drives results in correspondingly high costs. Cost savings can be achieved, for example, by installing a drive on only one side of the hatch—say, the left side—while using a spring-loaded support on the right side, which includes a damping device to reduce the hatch's opening speed. This is particularly important in the case of improper or...Misuse of such a vehicle hatch – especially with one-sided manual operation requiring excessive force or closing at high speed – can easily lead to tilting or pivoting of the hatch, resulting in increased or even excessive stress on the hatch's structural frame and the vehicle body. To prevent resulting damage, sometimes significant reinforcement measures are necessary, leading to increased weight and higher costs.

[0003] Generic vehicle flap arrangements are known from DE 40 07 162 A1, US 7,226,111 B2 and US 5,588,258 A.

[0004] The present invention is based on the objective of providing a vehicle flap arrangement for a motor vehicle which is, on the one hand, cost-effective to manufacture and, on the other hand, is designed in such a way that it does not suffer any damage even when subjected to increased or excessive loads.

[0005] This problem is solved with a vehicle flap arrangement according to claim 1 and a motor vehicle equipped therewith according to claim 8.

[0006] Advantageous further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0007] According to the invention, a vehicle flap assembly of a motor vehicle comprises a vehicle flap that can be articulated to the body of the motor vehicle, as well as two links for the articulated connection of the vehicle flap to the body. It is understood that both a conventional tailgate and an engine hood attached to the front of the vehicle fall under the term "vehicle flap." Furthermore, the term "vehicle flap" is also intended to encompass any other flaps, doors, or similar parts that are articulated to a vehicle body by at least two links. The first link serves for the articulation to the body, with the passenger side at the rear of the motor vehicle serving as an example, and is provided with a drive mechanism for opening or closing, or opening and closing, the vehicle flap.The second link serves for articulation and support on the vehicle body – in this example, on the driver's side at the rear of the vehicle – and does not have a drive mechanism, but rather a spring support. The invention is characterized in that the spring support is equipped with a retractable damping device, which dampens the closing movement of the vehicle hatch. Such a spring support with a retractable damping device does not impair the "normal" closing of the vehicle hatch caused by the drive mechanism, while simultaneously absorbing an excessive load exerted on the second link and thus preventing the vehicle hatch from tilting, and therefore also preventing damage resulting from such tilting. Since such a spring support is significantly less expensive than a second drive mechanism, the manufacturing costs of the vehicle hatch assembly can also be kept low.In the simplest case, the extension damping device used in a commonly used spring support can be installed "upside down", allowing it to perform the desired function of an insertion damping device.

[0008] The aforementioned problem is also solved by a motor vehicle equipped with a vehicle flap arrangement according to the invention. Accordingly, the same or similar advantages arise as those described above, which is why, to avoid repetition, reference is made to the preceding explanations in connection with the vehicle flap arrangement according to the invention.

[0009] According to an advantageous embodiment, the spring support is additionally equipped with an extension damping device that dampens or slows down the opening movement of the vehicle hatch. Such a spring support can advantageously be implemented by integrating both damping devices into a single damping device within the spring support. This damping device consists of a gas-filled gas spring with a piston containing at least one, and usually several, overflow opening(s) through which gas can flow from one side of the piston to the other. Due to the correspondingly small cross-section of the overflow opening(s), the desired damping is achieved. Such a gas spring therefore acts in both the opening / extension direction and the closing / retraction direction and thus—from a practical point of view—cannot be installed incorrectly.

[0010] Advantageously, the gas spring is designed so that it does not exert any damping effect when the vehicle hatch is moved at a low speed during the closing movement, as is the case with the actuator. During such a slow movement, the gas in the gas spring can flow through the overflow opening(s) at sufficient speed. Therefore, the gas spring does not impede the operation of the actuator. Conversely, if the hatch is moved at a higher speed, as can occur due to improper operation, the arrangement of the gas spring is such that it exerts a defined damping effect, since not enough gas can flow through the overflow opening(s) per unit of time. Therefore, in this case, the gas spring absorbs a portion of the applied force or load, thus preventing the hatch from tilting and consequently preventing damage to it.

[0011] Safety against unintentional damage to the vehicle hatch and bodywork is improved by equipping the first linkage with a compensating element, which is installed in series with the drive unit – either above or below it. This compensating element accounts for the fact that the damping effect of the gas spring does not occur immediately under excessive load, but only after a certain time delay, i.e., after a specific spring travel. This is because the gas in the gas spring is compressed by the rapid movement of the vehicle hatch, as it cannot escape quickly enough through the overflow opening(s). This spring travel is also referred to as the "initial stroke" of the respective gas spring.

[0012] The function of the compensating element can be optimized by designing it to exhibit a normal force or preload along a first compression stroke (preferably corresponding to the initial stroke) that is sufficiently large to be compressible at least substantially parallel to the compression movement of the gas spring. The first compression stroke is approximately the stroke traveled by the gas spring without flowing through the overflow opening(s) and thus under compression of the gas contained within the gas spring. This means that if the vehicle hatch is operated improperly (at excessive speed), the compensating element experiences the same compression as the gas spring, resulting in substantially identical movement of the first and second linkages and thus closing the vehicle hatch without tilting or pivoting.Furthermore, the compensating element is designed to provide damping along a second compression stroke of the gas spring, effectively eliminating its own spring travel. This second compression stroke is approximately the stroke undertaken by the gas spring as it flows through the transfer port(s), but largely without compression of the gas inside. This ensures that the compensating element has virtually no effect during this second compression stroke, thus forcing the first and second linkages to move in parallel.

[0013] In practice, it has proven effective for the initial compression stroke to be between 1 and 10 mm, preferably between 2 and 9 mm, and even more preferably between 3 and 8 mm. These ranges correspond to the typical "initial stroke" of a corresponding gas spring.

[0014] It is particularly advantageous from a design and cost perspective if the compensating element is formed from the disc spring assembly. Alternatively, the compensating element can also contain the coil spring and / or the elastomer spring and / or the gas cartridge.

[0015] A common application (especially with front and rear hatches) is that the first linkage rests on one side of the body, while the second linkage rests on the other side, with the first and second sides of the body being opposite each other along the vehicle's longitudinal axis. Alternatively, it is of course also possible for both linkages to rest on the same side of the body (for example, in the case of a door), provided that the two linkages then rest at opposite ends of the hinge axis.

[0016] Some advantageous embodiments of the invention are explained below by way of example with reference to the figures.

[0017] They show: Fig. 1 a schematic view of a motor vehicle with an embodiment of a vehicle flap arrangement according to the invention, Fig. 2 one of the Fig. 1. Similar representation, where the vehicle hatch is slightly tilted. Fig. 3 a schematic view of a second linkage of the vehicle flap arrangement according to the invention under a permissible load, Fig. 4 a schematic view of a second link of the vehicle flap arrangement according to the invention under an improper load, Fig. 5 a schematic view of a first linkage of the vehicle flap arrangement according to the invention with a drive and a compensating element, and Fig. 6 An enlarged schematic view of an advantageous embodiment of a compensating element.

[0018] In Fig. 1 and Fig. Figure 2 is an embodiment of a vehicle flap arrangement 10 according to the invention, shown schematically in its entirety. A tailgate 20, which represents one of the possible examples of a vehicle flap, is hinged to the rear of a body 92 of a motor vehicle. The hinge is provided by two links 32, 36. The first link 32 connects the tailgate 20 to the driver's side of the rear of the body 92, while the second link 36 connects the tailgate 20 to the passenger side of the rear of the body 92. The first link 32 includes a drive 34 (compare Figure 2). Fig. 5) for motorized closing and opening of the tailgate 20. The second link 36 includes a spring support 40 (compare for example Fig. 3).

[0019] In Fig. Figure 2 schematically illustrates, with an arrow P, how the tailgate 20 can pivot or twist if it is pressed downwards more strongly on its right side than on its left side. Such a one-sided load can occur, for example, if the tailgate 20 is not closed by the drive 34, but is instead pressed down strongly on the right side manually. The aim of the present invention is to avoid such one-sided or excessive loads or to limit them to a level permissible for the safe operation of the tailgate.

[0020] In Fig. Figure 3 shows a spring support 40, which is part of the second link 36. The spring support 40 comprises a gas-filled gas spring 50, in which a piston 52 is movably arranged in a cylinder 51. The piston 52 is connected to a piston rod 53, by means of which it can be moved within the cylinder 51. The piston rod 53, in turn, is connected to the second link 36 or is an integral part of this second link 36. Several transfer ports 56 are formed in the piston 52, of which, for the sake of simplicity, only two are shown in the drawing.

[0021] If the tailgate 20 is now slowly closed by the drive 34 in the first link 32, and thereby the piston rod 53 together with the piston 52 is moved downwards, which is indicated by an arrow S in Fig. As indicated in Figure 3, gas flows from below the piston 52 through the transfer openings 56 to the top of the piston 52, as indicated by a single arrow G. The gas spring 50 is designed by appropriately selecting the number and cross-section of the transfer openings 56 such that the slow movement of the first link 32 by the drive 34 causes the gas flow in the gas spring 50 to build up overpressure (indicated by a triple arrow D). Fig. (4 indicated) avoids this in its case, and the gas spring 50 therefore has low damping. Consequently, the second link 36 also moves slowly, which is why the two links 32, 36 move uniformly, i.e., essentially parallel to each other, and thus no pivoting of the tailgate 20 occurs. In other words, the regular closing of the tailgate 20, i.e., the closing effect of the motor drive, is not affected.

[0022] If, on the other hand, the tailgate 20 is at risk of being pivoted in a manner described in [reference to relevant document / section] by being pushed or pulled down too quickly on the right side, Fig. As shown in Figure 2, the support and damping function of the gas spring 50 comes into play. For this purpose, the gas spring 50 is designed such that, given the number of overflow openings 56 and their cross-section, during a rapid movement, as occurs in Figure 2, the gas spring 50 is designed to provide sufficient support and damping. Fig. As indicated by several arrows S, overpressure builds up on the underside of piston 52 because gas cannot escape quickly enough through the transfer ports 56, which is in turn indicated by a single arrow G for the gas flow. The resulting overpressure supports the second link 36 and slows its movement, thus preventing unwanted pivoting of the tailgate 20 and therefore also its potential damage.

[0023] Fig. Figure 5 shows a first link 32 of the vehicle flap arrangement 10 according to the invention with a drive 34, which according to the schematic representation of Fig. 5 comprises a motor 37 and a push rod 38, which are arranged in a tubular motor housing 33. The in Fig. 5 The end of the pushrod 38 shown above is connected to the upper pivot point 39 of the first link 32 on the tailgate 20 via an intermediate compensating element 60.

[0024] It is understood that the compensating element 60 can also be attached at another location on the second link 32, such as at its lower end near the lower pivot point 31 or at a greater distance from the points in Fig. The pivot points 31 and 39 shown in the diagram are shown. Crucially, the compensating element 60 is connected “in series” with the drive 34 and can therefore perform a function of the initial stroke in the action chain of the drive 34, as can be seen from the following description.

[0025] An advantageous embodiment of the compensating element 60 near the upper pivot point 39 is shown in Fig. Figure 6 is shown enlarged. The compensating element 60 is arranged in a tubular damper housing 61, which is shown in Figure 6. Fig. 6 is connected at its upper end to the upper pivot point 39 of the first link 32, while at its lower, open end (cf. Fig. 5) the motor housing 33 with the push rod 38 is inserted, which are arranged to slide slidably in the damper housing 61. At the in Fig. At the inner end of the damper housing 61 shown above, an upper damper flange 64 with a downwardly projecting guide bushing 65 is attached. A guide pin 63 of a lower damper flange 62 engages in this guide bushing from below. The lower damper flange 62 is in turn attached to the upper end of the pushrod 38. Two Belleville washers 66 and 67 are mounted between the two damper flanges 62 and 64.

[0026] According to the invention, the compensating element 60 is advantageously designed such that the spring travel it provides is somewhat greater than the “initial stroke” of the gas spring 50 described above. As shown in Fig.As can be seen in Figure 6, the spring travel of the compensating element 60 is defined by the distance that the guide pin 63 can penetrate into the guide bushing 65 due to compression of the two disc springs 66 and 67. The preload of the two disc springs 66 and 67 is selected such that the force required to compress them is just above the force corresponding to the preload force in the steering system (in the closed state). This ensures that during a "normal" closing operation of the tailgate 20 using the drive 34, the disc springs 66 and 67 are not compressed further (preloaded) and therefore the compensating element 60 has no effect, as it is not required.On the other hand, the compensating element 60 – particularly with regard to its spring travel – is designed and the disc springs 66 and 67 are dimensioned such that the disc springs 66 and 67 can be compressed during the initial stroke of the gas spring 50 in such a way that the two links 32 and 36 move approximately parallel and thus without pivoting the tailgate 20. This provides additional travel on the drive side in the event of improper operation. Furthermore, no further compression of the disc springs 66 and 67 should be possible in the compensating element 60 (e.g., because the end of the spring travel has been reached) when the overflow openings 56 of the gas spring 50 are being used, in order to ensure uniform or parallel movement of the two links 32 and 36 even in this case.

[0027] It is advantageous to coordinate the aforementioned vehicle flap arrangement 10 with the compensating element 60 in such a way that an initial stroke of the gas spring occurring in practice of 1 to 10 millimeters or 2 to 9 mm, in particular 3 to 8 mm, can be well compensated.

[0028] The vehicle flap arrangement according to the invention ensures that the asymmetrical forces acting during improper operation, which can place a one-sided load on the overall system and therefore lead to damage, are at least partially compensated, thus reducing the overall system's load. At the same time, the basic function of a vehicle flap that can be closed by means of a drive mechanism is not restricted or hindered.

[0029] The above assumption was that the compensating element 60 contains an arrangement of disc springs. Alternatively, the spring component of the compensating element can be implemented using a coil spring, an elastomer spring and / or a gas cartridge.

[0030] It should be noted that the features of the invention described with reference to individual embodiments or variants, such as the type and design of the individual control arms, dampers, and spring elements, as well as their spatial arrangement, may also be present in other embodiments, unless otherwise specified or is precluded for technical reasons. Furthermore, not all features of such combined features of individual embodiments need necessarily be implemented in every embodiment in question.

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