Automotive vibration dampers

Abstract

Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) with a longitudinal axis (L1), and with a damper cylinder (12) as the first vibration damper component (2) and a protective tube (14) as the second vibration damper component (3), which is arranged to be axially movable relative to the first vibration damper component (2) with respect to the longitudinal axis (L1), wherein the protective tube (14) at least partially surrounds the damper cylinder (12) in the circumferential direction, including a circumferential gap (15), wherein the motor vehicle vibration damper (1) further comprises a sensor arrangement (4) with a permanent magnet (5) and a magnetic field sensor (6) which is configured to detect a rotation of the permanent magnet (5) and its current rotational position relative to the magnetic field sensor (6), characterized in that the sensor arrangement (4) further comprises a pivot lever (7) with a rotational axis (L) R) rotatable fixed bearing end (8) and a floating bearing end (9) arranged spaced apart from the fixed bearing end (8), and a guide (11) extending axially and having at least a partial offset (10) in the circumferential direction, wherein the pivot lever (7) with its fixed bearing end (8) is arranged on the protective tube (14) and the guide (11) on the damper cylinder (12) and the permanent magnet (5) is attached to the fixed bearing end (8) of the pivot lever (7) and wherein the pivot lever (7) with its floating bearing end (9) is radially supported on the guide (11).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle vibration damper according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Generic motor vehicle vibration dampers are known, for example, from DE 10 2015 216 956 A1 or from DE 10 2017 205 000 A1.

[0003] A motor vehicle vibration damper known from DE 10 2015 216 956 A1 or DE 1 0 2017 205 000 A1 comprises a first vibration damper component and a second vibration damper component, which is arranged to be axially movable relative to the first vibration damper component with respect to the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle vibration damper. The two vibration damper components are generally designed as a damper tube and a protective tube that at least partially encloses the damper tube circumferentially. The motor vehicle vibration damper further comprises a sensor arrangement with a permanent magnet and a magnetic field sensor, which is configured to detect rotation of the permanent magnet and its current rotational position relative to the magnetic field sensor.

[0004] The sensor arrangement is designed in such a way that it translates the relative axial movement of the two vibration damper components to each other into a rotational relative movement of the permanent magnet and the magnetic field sensor, whereby the current axial relative movement and / or the axial relative position of the two vibration damper components to each other can be derived from the rotation of the permanent magnet, as well as its current rotational position relative to the magnetic field sensor.

[0005] Based on the prior art described above, the object of the present invention is to offer an alternative motor vehicle vibration damper which is cost-effective and makes it possible to detect the current axial relative movement and / or the axial relative position of the two vibration damper components to each other.

[0006] This problem is solved by a motor vehicle vibration damper with the features of claim 1.

[0007] Due to the offset of the guide, the pivot lever and the permanent magnet attached to it are rotated around the axis of rotation during an axial relative movement of the vibration damper components to each other, whereby the current axial relative position of the vibration damper components to each other can be easily derived from the respective current rotational position of the permanent magnet to the magnetic field sensor.

[0008] Further advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims, as well as in the figures and their description.

[0009] The invention will now be explained in more detail according to the following figures.

[0010] They show: Fig. 1: a perspective view of a first embodiment of a motor vehicle damper according to claim 1; Fig. 2: a partial sectional view of a motor vehicle shock absorber according to Fig. 1; Fig. 3: another partial sectional view of a motor vehicle shock absorber according to Fig. 1; Fig. 4: a perspective view of a further embodiment of a motor vehicle damper according to claim 1; Fig. 5: a perspective view of a motor vehicle shock absorber according to Fig. 4, without the protective tube.

[0011] The Fig. Figure 1 shows a motor vehicle vibration damper 1 with a longitudinal axis L 1,as well as with a first fastening element 22 and a second fastening element 23 for fastening the motor vehicle vibration damper to a further component of a motor vehicle, not shown here. This component comprises a first vibration damper component 2 and a second vibration damper component 3, wherein the second vibration damper component 3 is arranged to be axially movable relative to the first vibration damper component 2 with respect to the longitudinal axis L1.

[0012] The first vibration damper component 2 is designed as a damper cylinder 12 and the second vibration damper component 3 is designed as a protective tube 14, wherein the protective tube 14 is at least indirectly rigidly connected to a piston rod 13 (not shown here) that extends from the damper cylinder in a sealed manner. The piston rod 13 is in the Fig. 3 shown. In addition, the Fig. 3, how the protective tube 14, including a circumferential gap 15, surrounds the piston rod 13 and partially the damper cylinder 12 in a circumferential direction.

[0013] Furthermore, the vehicle vibration damper 1 comprises a sensor arrangement 4, with a permanent magnet 5, and a magnetic field sensor 6. In the Fig. In the illustrated embodiment, the magnetic field sensor 6 is attached to the protective tube 14 and is at least partially enclosed by the protective tube 14. The pivot lever 7 with the permanent magnet 5, as well as the pivot counter-lever 17, can be attached to a rod 20 which extends axially parallel to the longitudinal axis L1 under the protective tube 14, as shown in the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 is shown.

[0014] The Fig. Figure 5 shows a variant embodiment in which the magnetic field sensor 6 is attached, at least indirectly, to the damper cylinder 12. Both the guide 11 and the counter-guide 21 can be attached as an additional component to the damper cylinder 12 or to the protective tube 14. Alternatively, both the guide 11 and the counter-guide 21 can be molded into or formed from the protective tube, as shown in the Fig. 4 shown.

[0015] The magnetic field sensor 6 is designed to detect and / or record a rotation of the permanent magnet 5, as well as its current rotational position relative to the magnetic field sensor 6.

[0016] As can be seen from the Fig. As can be seen in Figure 2, the sensor arrangement 4 has a pivot lever 7 with a rotation about an axis of rotation L. RThe sensor assembly 4 comprises a rotatable fixed bearing end 8 and a floating bearing end 9 spaced apart from the fixed bearing end 8. Furthermore, the sensor assembly 4 includes a pivoting counter-lever 17 with a fixed bearing end 18 and a floating bearing end 19, wherein the pivoting counter-lever is arranged in a mirror image of the pivoting lever 7 with respect to an imaginary axial longitudinal section plane A extending along the longitudinal axis L1 through the vehicle vibration damper 1. The pivoting counter-lever 17 is arranged such that its fixed bearing end 18 is coaxial with the fixed bearing end 8 of the pivoting lever 7, so that the two fixed bearing ends 8; 18 share a common axis of rotation L R exhibit.

[0017] Furthermore, the sensor arrangement 4 comprises an axially extending guide 11, as well as a counter-guide 21 arranged on the same vibration damper component 2, 3 as the guide 11, with respect to an imaginary axial longitudinal section plane A extending along the longitudinal axis L1 through the vehicle vibration damper 1. The guide 11 and the guide 21 each include an offset 10 in the circumferential direction, so that, due to the mirror-image arrangement, the respective distance of the guide 11 and the counter-guide 21 to the imaginary axial longitudinal section plane, as well as the distance between the guide 11 and the counter-guide 21, varies over their longitudinal extent.

[0018] From a synthesis of Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4 and Fig. Figure 5 shows that the fixed bearing end 8 of the pivot lever 7 can be arranged on one of the two vibration damper components 2, 3 and the guide 11 on the other of the two vibration damper components 3, 2. Thus, the pivot lever 7 with its fixed bearing end 8 can be arranged on the protective tube 14 and the guide 11 on the damper cylinder 12. Alternatively, it can be provided that the pivot lever 7 with its fixed bearing end 8 is arranged on the damper cylinder 12 and the guide 11 on the protective tube 14, as shown in the Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4 to Fig. Show 5.

[0019] According to the invention, the permanent magnet 5 is attached to the fixed bearing end 8 of the pivot lever 7 by means of a positive fit, and / or a material fit, and / or a force fit. The pivot lever 7 rests against the guide 11 with its floating bearing end 9, or is radially supported by the guide 11, and follows the shape of the guide 11 during a relative axial movement of the vibration damper components 2; 3. Thus, the permanent magnet 5, attached to the fixed bearing end 8 of the pivot lever 7, is rotated about the axis of rotation L during an axial relative movement of the vibration damper components to each other. R rotationally displaced, whereby the current axial relative position of the vibration damper components to each other can be easily derived or recognized due to the respective current rotational position of the permanent magnet to the magnetic field sensor.

[0020] The pivot counter-lever 17 is radially supported at its floating end 19 against the counter-guide 21, follows the shape of the counter-guide 21, and prevents the pivot lever 7 from tilting by providing a counterforce to a torsional force acting from the guide 11 via the pivot lever 7 onto the axis of rotation LR. For this purpose, the pivot lever 7 and the pivot counter-lever 17 are arranged such that their longitudinal axes L2 and L3 each form an angle α, β with the imaginary axial longitudinal section plane running along the longitudinal axis L1 through the vehicle vibration damper 1, with both angles α and β having the same measure.The angles α, β can assume a value in the range greater than 0° and less than 90°, depending on the relative axial position of the vibration damper components 2, 3 to each other and thus also depending on the axial position of the respective floating bearing end 9, 19 on the guide 11 or on the counter-guide 21. A spring component 16 exerts a spring force F1 directed towards the guide 11 on the pivot lever 7 and / or a spring force F2 directed towards the counter-guide 21 on the pivot counter-lever 17, ensuring constant contact between the floating bearing end 9 of the pivot lever 7 and the guide 11 and / or between the floating bearing end 19 of the pivot counter-lever 17 and the counter-guide 21. Reference sign 1 Automotive vibration damper 2 first vibration damper component 3 second vibration damper component 4 Sensor arrangement 5 permanent magnet 6 Magnetic field sensor 7 swivel levers 8 Fixed bearing end of the swivel lever 9 Loose end of the swivel lever 10 Offset 11 Leadership 12 damper cylinders 13 Piston rod 14 Protective tube 15 circumferential gap 16 Spring component 17 Swivel counter levers 18 Fixed bearing end of the pivot counter lever 19 Loose end of the pivot counter lever 20 bars 21 Counter-leadership 22 first fastening element 23 second fastening element L1 Longitudinal axis of the vehicle vibration damper L2 Longitudinal axis of the pivot lever L3 Longitudinal axis of the pivoting counter-lever L R axis of rotation F1 Spring force F2 Spring force α Angle measure

Claims

[1] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) with a longitudinal axis (L1), as well as with a damper cylinder (12) as the first vibration damper component (2) and a protective tube (14) as the second vibration damper component (3), which is arranged to be axially movable relative to the first vibration damper component (2) with respect to the longitudinal axis (L1), wherein the protective tube (14) at least partially surrounds the damper cylinder (12) in the circumferential direction, including a circumferential gap (15), wherein the motor vehicle vibration damper (1) further comprises a sensor arrangement (4) with a permanent magnet (5) and a magnetic field sensor (6), which is configured to detect a rotation of the permanent magnet (5) and its current rotational position relative to the magnetic field sensor (6), characterized by , that the sensor arrangement (4) further comprises a pivot lever (7) with a rotational axis (L) R) rotatable fixed bearing end (8) and a floating bearing end (9) arranged spaced apart from the fixed bearing end (8), and a guide (11) extending axially and having at least a partial offset (10) in the circumferential direction, wherein the pivot lever (7) with its fixed bearing end (8) is arranged on the protective tube (14) and the guide (11) on the damper cylinder (12) and the permanent magnet (5) is attached to the fixed bearing end (8) of the pivot lever (7) and wherein the pivot lever (7) with its floating bearing end (9) is radially supported on the guide (11). [2] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the magnetic field sensor (6) is arranged at least indirectly on the protective tube (14) and is firmly connected to it. [3] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to claim 1, characterized by, that the sensor arrangement (4) comprises a pivot counter-lever (17) with a fixed bearing end (18) and a floating bearing end (19), wherein the fixed bearing end (18) of the pivot counter-lever (17) is arranged coaxially to the fixed bearing end (8) of the pivot lever (7), with a common axis of rotation (L R ). [4] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the sensor arrangement (4) comprises a counter-guide (21) which, with respect to an imaginary axial longitudinal section plane running along the longitudinal extension axis L1 through the motor vehicle vibration damper (1), is designed in a mirror image to the guide (11) and wherein the pivot counter-lever (17) with its loose bearing end (19) is radially supported on the counter-guide (21). [5] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the counter guide (21) and the guide (11) are arranged on the same vibration damper component (2, 3). [6] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the pivot lever (7) and the pivot counter-lever (17) are arranged such that their longitudinal extension axes (L2; L3) each form an angle (α, β) with the imaginary axial longitudinal section plane running along the longitudinal extension axis L1 through the motor vehicle vibration damper (1), wherein the two angles (α, β) have the same angular measure. [7] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to claim 6, characterized by , that the two angles (α, β) can assume an angular dimension in the range greater than 0° and less than 90° depending on the axial position of the respective loose bearing end (9, 19) on the guide (11) or on the counter guide (21). [8] Motor vehicle vibration damper (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the sensor arrangement (4) comprises a spring component (16) which exerts a spring force (F1) directed towards the guide (11) on the pivot lever (7) and / or a spring force (F2) directed towards the counter-guide (21) on the pivot counter-lever (17).

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