Drive unit for a vehicle-side protective device, especially in a vehicle interior

Abstract

Such a drive unit with an electric motor and with control electronics for the electric motor, arranged on a circuit board, is known. According to the invention, the electric motor and the circuit board with the control electronics are integrated in a common plastic housing, the plastic housing is made up of several housing parts, in particular connected without tools, and the control electronics arranged on the circuit board are arranged in the plastic housing adjacent to the electric motor. Application for vehicle-side protective devices of a motor vehicle

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a drive unit for a vehicle-mounted protective device, in particular in a vehicle interior, according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] DE 100 63 619 A1 discloses a plastic housing for a drive unit of a vehicle fan. The plastic housing comprises two housing parts connected to each other by snap-in connection elements. A rotor housing is connected to a bearing sleeve, which is integrally formed in a recess in the upper part. The rotor housing is spaced apart from an upper part of the plastic housing.

[0003] DE 10 2018 112 808 A1 discloses a drive unit with a housing that can be made of plastic. The housing is constructed in two parts. A gear housing can also be attached. The two-part housing is joined together using integrally molded locking profiles. The gear housing is simply attached.

[0004] From DE 10 2016 209 617 A1 a multi-part housing made of metal is known, wherein the housing parts are integrally connected to one another by a weld or solder seam.

[0005] DE 10 2016 212 862 A1 discloses another motor housing that can be connected to an additional heat sink housing. A circuit board is integrated into the heat sink housing. The heat sink housing is made of plastic and is constructed in two parts, with the two housing parts being bonded together. The motor housing is connected to the heat sink housing by caulking, welding, or screwing.

[0006] WO 2019 / 064 896 A1 discloses a housing made of metal.

[0007] DE 197 52 672 C1 discloses a housing made of different plastic materials. Softer plastic sections are inserted into the housing receptacles.

[0008] Similarly, DE 10 2006 007 755 A1 discloses different materials for an actuator housing.

[0009] DE 10 2021 122 792 A1 discloses an actuator housing that consists of two parts. The two housing parts can be made of plastic and connected by clipping.

[0010] Other drive units are generally known for winding shafts of shading devices for vehicle openings in the interior of a motor vehicle. The control electronics are arranged separately from the electric motor. The electric motor can be mounted coaxially or radially offset from the winding shaft and fixed to the vehicle.

[0011] DE 10 2011 007 298 A1 discloses a motor-gearbox combination for a roller blind system for a vehicle interior, which includes an electric motor. The electric motor is flanged externally to a multi-part gear housing.

[0012] The object of the invention is to create a drive unit of the type mentioned above which enables a compact design and easy handling.

[0013] This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. The solution according to the invention is suitable both for drive units intended to drive at least one winding shaft of a protective device in a vehicle interior, and for drive units intended to drive drive transmission lines such as threaded pitch cables or cable pull systems. Shading devices for side or rear windows or for transparent roof areas of vehicle interiors of motor vehicles or other vehicles are provided as protective devices. Alternatively, load compartment covering devices or load compartment separating devices in motor vehicles are provided as protective devices, which have covering or separating structures that can be stretched approximately horizontally or approximately vertically in the area of ​​the load compartment. Belt presenters in a vehicle interior also serve as protective devices within the meaning of the invention.Finally, it is also possible to provide the inventive solution for applications outside the vehicle, such as, in particular, covers for electrical plug connections for charging a vehicle-mounted battery for a drive system. According to the invention, both the electric motor and the circuit board with the control electronics are completely housed in the plastic housing. The plastic housing is constructed in several parts from at least two interconnected housing parts. The connection of the housing parts is provided in such a way that, on the one hand, the housing parts, in the assembled, ready-to-use state, form a uniformly handleable plastic housing unit, and, on the other hand, that the housing parts are flush with one another. The plastic housing thus formed has cavities in which the electric motor and the circuit board with the control electronics are integrated.

[0014] According to the invention, the housing comprises a substantially cylindrical motor housing part, a circuit board housing part adjoining the motor housing part, and a cover part closing the circuit board housing part at the rear. The housing is therefore designed in three parts.

[0015] In one embodiment of the invention, the circuit board is positioned at the rear of the electric motor and aligned in a radial plane relative to a drive axis of rotation of the electric motor in the plastic housing. This results in a relatively short overall length for the drive unit along the drive axis of rotation of the electric motor. The alignment of the circuit board orthogonally and at the rear of the electric motor, i.e., on the side opposite the output side of the electric motor, enables direct and compact attachment of the electric motor to an adjacent functional component, such as, in particular, a gearbox.

[0016] In a further embodiment of the invention, the housing has an L-shape, with one L-leg being aligned approximately horizontally and the other approximately vertically in the fully assembled state of the drive unit. The L-shape of the housing refers to a side view of the drive unit.

[0017] In a further embodiment of the invention, the electric motor is arranged in the horizontally oriented L-shaped leg, and the circuit board with the control electronics is arranged in the vertically oriented L-shaped leg. The horizontally oriented L-shaped leg encloses the output side of the electric motor's drive axis at the front, and the vertically oriented L-shaped leg encloses the circuit board with the control electronics, which is arranged at the rear of the electric motor. This results in an easy-to-handle and compact drive unit.

[0018] In a further embodiment of the invention, a recess is provided in the vertical L-leg on one side, particularly on the front, for flush-mounting a plug-in connector arranged on the circuit board and electrically connected to the control electronics. The plug-in connector in the recess allows easy access from the outside to create a plug-in connection. The recess can be open downwards, backwards, to the side, or to the front, depending on which side is most advantageous for access in terms of the installation criteria. The front-side recess of the vertical L-leg enables a plug-in connection from the front of the vertical L-leg.

[0019] This ensures particularly good accessibility for assembly or disassembly of a corresponding plug connection.

[0020] In a further embodiment of the invention, locking profiles are formed on the housing parts, which are designed to complement each other in such a way that adjacent housing parts are connected to each other by means of the complementary locking profiles. The locking profiles can be detachable or non-detachable. In both cases, they ensure a tool-free connection of the housing parts by simply joining and locking the adjacent housing parts together.

[0021] In a further embodiment of the invention, the locking connections created by the locking profiles are designed to be detachable. This allows for disassembly after assembly, if necessary, particularly to replace the electric motor or the control electronics.

[0022] In a further embodiment of the invention, the electric motor has an output shaft that defines the drive axis of rotation and projects out of the electric motor at the front and rear. The circuit board has a passage coaxial with the drive axis of rotation of the electric motor, the clear cross-section of which preferably corresponds to at least one diameter of the output shaft. This ensures that, when the electric motor is in its fully assembled state in the plastic housing and a functional component is axially placed on the front of the output shaft, axial rear support of the output shaft is ensured, so that axial pressure from the front due to the assembly of the functional component reliably prevents axial displacement of the output shaft to the rear. Functional components include, in particular, a pinion, a gear worm, or another gear component to which the drive force of the electric motor is to be transmitted.

[0023] In a further embodiment of the invention, the housing components are provided with circumferential seals at their connection areas to the other housing components to ensure a tight seal when assembled. Depending on the design of the seals, a seal according to IP protection class IP61 to IP69 is possible.

[0024] In a further embodiment of the invention, the seals are integrally molded onto the housing parts. The housing parts are preferably manufactured using a multi-component injection molding process, with a correspondingly soft, elastic component forming the seals and a dimensionally stable plastic component ensuring the dimensionally stable design of the housing parts.

[0025] In a further embodiment of the invention, the electric motor is mounted in the housing with acoustic damping. This enables quiet operation of the drive unit.

[0026] In a further embodiment of the invention, elastically flexible damping rings are provided in the housing on the front and rear sides of the electric motor, coaxial with the drive's rotational axis. The damping rings can be manufactured as separate functional parts and inserted into the housing. Alternatively or additionally, at least one damping ring can be formed integrally in a section of a housing part adjacent to an end face of the electric motor. This damping ring, similar to the previously described seals, is also made of an elastically flexible plastic material that is formed integrally with the corresponding housing part using a multi-component injection molding process.

[0027] In a further embodiment of the invention, the housing part is manufactured as a two-component injection-molded part made of two plastic materials, one of which is an elastomer material and forms the damping ring. The term "elastomer material" refers to pure elastomers, synthetically or naturally produced, as well as thermoplastic elastomers. Preferably, in the case of molded seals on the housing part, the material for the damping ring can be identical to the material for the seals. A dimensionally stable, thermoplastic material is provided for the housing parts themselves.

[0028] In a further embodiment of the invention, at least one housing part is provided with support profiles on the inside, which interact with complementary counter-profiles on the front side of the electric motor to achieve torque support of the electric motor relative to the housing. This enables particularly secure mounting of the electric motor within the plastic housing without the need to fix the electric motor in the plastic housing using additional fastening elements. The counter-profiles of the electric motor are preferably provided on an end side of a motor housing of the electric motor.

[0029] In a further embodiment of the invention, at least one housing part has an integrally formed adapter disc on the outside of an output side of the drive rotation axis of the electric motor, which adapter disc is designed to support the torque of the housing on a functional component adjacent to the output side. This provides a simple way of supporting the housing itself so that torques generated by the electric motor and transmitted to the housing are supported on the stationary functional component by means of the adapter disc. For this purpose, the adapter disc is preferably designed to be rotationally asymmetrical relative to the drive rotation axis. In the assembled state, the adapter disc is positively secured to the corresponding adjacent functional component.

[0030] Further advantages and features of the invention emerge from the claims. A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below and illustrated with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a drive unit according to the invention, Fig. 2 the drive unit after Fig. 1 from a different perspective, Fig. 3 shows an enlarged longitudinal section through the drive unit according to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 along a vertical central longitudinal plane in which a drive axis of rotation of an electric motor of the drive unit lies, Fig. 4 a further longitudinal section along a horizontal central longitudinal plane, which includes the drive axis of rotation, through the drive unit according to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, Fig. 5 a perspective exploded view of the drive unit according to the Fig. 1 to 4, Fig. 6 another exploded view of the drive unit according to the Fig. 1 to 5 from a different perspective, Fig. 7 a housing part of the drive unit according to the Fig. 1 to 6 in a first perspective, Fig. 8 the housing part according to Fig. 7, but from a different perspective, Fig. 9 the housing part according to the Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 in a front view and Fig. 10 a sectional view through the housing part according to Fig. 9 along the section line XX in Fig. 9.

[0031] A drive unit 1 according to the Fig. 1 to 10 is intended for the electrical drive of a shading device for a side window of a passenger car. The drive unit 1 serves to drive a flexible shading structure that is held in web-like form on a winding shaft and can be wound up and unwound. By means of the drive unit 1, the roller blind is displaced on the vehicle interior side between a rest position and a shading position that conceals the side window. The drive unit 1 can either be assigned directly to the winding shaft of the roller blind via a suitable gear in order to drive it, or the drive unit 1 serves to electrically drive a drive transmission system that has threaded pitch cables or a cable pull system. Both the threaded pitch cables and the cable pull system are laid in corresponding side guides fixed to the vehicle and displace an extension profile that is connected to the shading web.This inevitably results in the desired shift of the shading path between the rest position and the shading position.

[0032] The drive unit 1 comprises an electric motor M, which is provided with an output shaft 2 extending through a motor housing of the motor M, which output shaft defines a drive rotation axis in the sense of the invention. In the motor housing, corresponding electrical drive components are integrated in a generally known manner, which drive the output shaft 2 when current is applied. The output shaft 2 projects both to a front side (in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 shown on the right) as well as to the rear side of the motor housing, like the Fig. 3 to 5 can be easily removed. The electric motor M is controlled by a control electronics that is housed on a circuit board P. Both the electric motor M and the circuit board P with the control electronics are integrated in a plastic housing, which is Fig. 1 to 10. The plastic housing consists of three housing parts, namely a motor housing part 3, a circuit board housing part 4, and a cover part 5, which are manufactured independently of one another from plastic and assembled together to form the plastic housing.

[0033] The motor housing part 3 is essentially hollow-cylindrical and serves to completely accommodate the electric motor M within the motor housing part 3. The electric motor M is thereby suspended at its end in the motor housing part 3 by means of a first, elastically flexible damping ring 10 made of an elastomer material. The motor housing part 3 also has an adapter disc 9 on its front side, which is integrally formed on the motor housing part 3. The adapter disc 9 coaxially surrounds the output shaft 2. The adapter disc 9 is rotationally asymmetrical and serves for rotationally fixed fixation to an adjacent stationary functional component, in particular a transmission housing. The adapter disc 9 thus forms a torque support for the motor housing part 3.

[0034] At the rear, the motor housing part 3 is closed by the circuit board housing part 4, which provides rear support and securing of the electric motor M on a rear end face of the electric motor M. A rear end face of the motor housing of the electric motor M has two recesses 13, radially offset from the drive rotation axis, serving as counter-profilings, into which complementary support profiles 15 of the circuit board housing part 4 protrude axially and in a rotationally locked manner to the motor housing of the electric motor M. The support profiles 15 and the recesses 13 serve to support the torque of the motor housing of the electric motor M relative to the plastic housing, i.e. relative to the motor housing part 3 and the circuit board housing part 4.

[0035] The circuit board housing part 4 has a further damping ring 11 made of elastic material and acoustically damping the motor housing of the electric motor M at the rear end thereof. This damping ring 11 is formed integrally on the circuit board housing part 4, with the circuit board housing part 4 being designed as a two-component injection-molded part. The damping ring 11 and the support profiles 15 are formed from the elastically flexible, acoustically damping plastic material, whereas a dimensionally stable housing shell of the circuit board housing part 4 is made from a thermoplastic material. Due to the two-component injection-molded production process, the damping ring 11, the support profiles 15, and the dimensionally stable housing shell of the circuit board housing 4 form a one-piece component, with the elastic plastic material and the dimensionally stable, thermoplastic material being integrally bonded to one another.The circuit board housing part 4 serves, on the one hand, as a rear end closure for the motor housing part 3. On the other hand, the circuit board housing part 4 serves on its rear side to accommodate and support the circuit board P provided with the control electronics. The control electronics are not shown in the drawings for reasons of clarity.

[0036] The motor housing part 3 and the circuit board housing part 4 have complementary locking profiles 6, which form a positive, detachable locking connection between the two housing parts when the two housing parts are joined together. The locking profiles 6 are integrally formed on the circuit board housing part 4 on the one hand and on the motor housing part 3 on the other.

[0037] Based on the Fig. 6 shows that the end-face termination area of ​​the circuit board housing part 4 relative to the hollow-cylindrical motor housing part 3 is provided, on the one hand, with circular centering webs and, on the other hand, with a circumferential elastic seal D, which is also integrally formed in the circuit board housing part 4 using the two-component injection molding process. The circuit board housing 4 can be plugged flush and tightly onto the open end face of the motor housing part 3 with this connection area, thereby simultaneously achieving the rear end-face fixation and acoustically dampening suspension of the electric motor M.

[0038] Based on the Fig. 1 to 3 it can be seen that the drive unit 1 in the assembled state is essentially L-shaped. In this case, one L-leg, in the illustration according to the Fig. 1 to 3, the horizontal L-leg is formed by the hollow cylindrical motor housing part 3 and the vertical L-leg is formed by the circuit board housing part 4, which can be closed at the rear by a cover part 5.

[0039] The circuit board housing part 4 has - relative to the drive axis of rotation of the electric motor M - a box-shaped receiving section radially below its connection area, which is provided at the front with a substantially square recess 14. The recess 14 serves to accommodate a plug-in connection part 8, which is arranged on the front of the circuit board P and is electrically connected to the electronic control components of the circuit board P. The plug-in connection part 8 has a square cross-section that approximately corresponds to the cross-section of the recess 14. This allows the plug-in connection part 8 to be inserted into the recess 14 from the rear, so that a plug receptacle of the plug-in connection part 8 projects from the front of the box-shaped housing area of ​​the circuit board housing part 4 into the recess 14 ( Fig. 1). A peripheral edge of the recess 14 is provided with an elastic seal D, which is also integrally formed in the circuit board housing part 4. The seals D, the damping ring 11, and the support profiles 15 of the circuit board housing part 4 can be made of the same elastic material, preferably an elastomer or a thermoplastic elastomer, and can be integrally integrated into the circuit board housing part 4 using a two-component injection molding process.

[0040] As shown by the Fig. 8, the circuit board housing part 4, which is open at the rear, has integrally formed support webs 16 in its open interior, which serve for the axial positioning of the circuit board P in the circuit board housing part 4. The rear of the circuit board housing part 4 can be closed by the cover part 5, which can be placed flush on the rear of the circuit board housing part 4 and, when placed flush, can be positively connected to the circuit board housing part 4 by means of locking profiles 7. The cover part 5 and the circuit board housing part 4 each have two complementary locking profiles 7 on opposite side regions, which are spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction and are formed by locking lugs on the circuit board housing part 4 on the one hand and by locking hooks on the cover part 5 on the other.The cover part 5 has, on its end face facing the circuit board housing part 4, on the one hand, a circumferential centering web and, on the other hand, a circumferential seal D, which is made of an elastic material and, in the illustrated embodiment, is integrally formed on the cover part 5. The cover part D also has support webs 17, analogous to the support webs 16, which press the circuit board P axially from the rear against the support webs 16 and thus against the circuit board housing part 6, so that a secure positioning for the circuit board P between the cover part 5 and the circuit board housing part 4 is achieved.

[0041] Based on the Fig. 3 to 6 clearly show that the plate P has a passage 12 at the level of the output shaft 2 and coaxially therewith, through which the rear end region of the output shaft 2 axially protrudes when the drive unit 1 is in the assembled state. This makes it possible to axially attach a functional component such as a pinion, a worm gear, or a similar component to the front of the output shaft 2 and simultaneously apply an axial support torque to the output shaft 2 from the rear, even when the drive unit 1 is already assembled and ready for operation. Fig. 3 it can be seen that a corresponding axial counter-support element G can be mounted on the inside of the cover part 5, so that by placing and locking the cover part 5 an axial support of the rear end face of the output shaft 2 is already necessarily achieved, so that in the ready-to-use assembled state of the drive unit 1 a functional component can be axially plugged onto the front without the output shaft 2 being able to deflect axially to the rear.

[0042] The circumferential seal D on the inside of the cover part 5 ensures a tight seal with the rear edge area of ​​the circuit board housing part 4, so that the circuit board P with its electronic control components is watertightly housed in the plastic housing. Depending on the design of the seals D, sealing levels in the range of IP classes IP 61 to IP 69 can be achieved.

[0043] In the embodiment according to the Fig.1 to 10, the plastic housing enclosing the electric motor M and the circuit board P, with its three housing parts—namely, the motor housing part 3, the circuit board housing part 4, and the cover part 5—is designed to be detachable. For this purpose, the corresponding locking hooks of the locking profiles 6 and 7, which form-fit over the integrally formed locking lugs of the locking profiles 6 and 7, are designed to be slightly elastically expandable, so that, if necessary, the cover part 5 can be removed from the rear of the circuit board housing part 4 and the motor housing part 3 can be removed from the front of the circuit board housing part 4. This enables easy replacement of the electric motor M and / or the circuit board P.

Claims

[1] Drive unit (1) for a vehicle-mounted protective device, in particular in a vehicle interior, with an electric motor (M), and with control electronics for the electric motor (M), which are arranged on a circuit board (P), wherein the electric motor (M) and the circuit board (P) are integrated with the control electronics in a common plastic housing, that the plastic housing is constructed from several housing parts that are connected to one another without tools, and wherein the control electronics arranged on the circuit board (P) are arranged in the plastic housing adjacent to the electric motor (M), characterized byin that the plastic housing has a substantially hollow-cylindrical motor housing part (3), a circuit board housing part (4) adjoining the motor housing part (3), and a cover part (5) closing the circuit board housing part (4) at the rear, wherein the motor housing part (3) and the circuit board housing part (4) are joined together in a form-fitting manner by means of integrally formed, mutually complementary locking profiles, and wherein the cover part (5) can be placed flush on a rear side of the circuit board housing part (4) and can be connected in a form-fitting manner to the circuit board housing part (4) with the aid of locking profiles in the flush-placed state. [2] Drive unit (1) according to claim 1, characterized by that the circuit board (P) is positioned at the rear of the electric motor (M) and is aligned in a radial plane relative to a drive axis of rotation of the electric motor (M) in the plastic housing. [3] Drive unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the plastic housing has an L-shape, wherein in the ready-to-use assembled state of the drive unit (1) one L-leg is aligned approximately horizontally and the other L-leg is aligned approximately vertically. [4] Drive unit (1) according to claim 3, characterized by that the electric motor (M) is arranged in the horizontally oriented L-leg and the circuit board (P) with the control electronics is arranged in the vertically oriented L-leg, and that the horizontally oriented L-leg encloses the output side of the drive rotation axis of the electric motor (M) on the front side, and that the vertically oriented L-leg encloses the circuit board (P) with the control electronics arranged at the rear of the electric motor (M). [5] Drive unit (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized bythat in the vertical L-leg on one side, in particular on the front side, a recess (14) is provided for flush receiving a plug connection part (8) which is arranged on the circuit board (P) and electrically connected to the control electronics. [6] Drive unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that locking profiles (6, 7) are formed on the housing parts, which are designed to be complementary to one another in such a way that adjacent housing parts are connected to one another by means of the complementary locking profiles (6, 7). [7] Drive unit (1) according to claim 6, characterized by that the locking connections created by the locking profiles (6, 7) are designed to be detachable. [8] Drive unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the electric motor (M) has an output shaft (2) which defines the drive axis of rotation and projects from the front and rear of the electric motor (M), and that the circuit board (P) has a passage (12) coaxial with the drive axis of rotation of the electric motor (M), the clear cross-section of which preferably corresponds to at least one diameter of the output shaft (2). [9] Drive unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the housing parts are provided with circumferential seals (D) at their connection areas to the other housing parts in order to achieve a tight seal of the plastic housing when assembled. [10] Drive unit (1) according to claim 9, characterized by that the seals (D) are formed as one piece with the housing parts. [11] Drive unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the electric motor (M) is acoustically damped in the plastic housing. [12] Drive unit (1) according to claim 11, characterized by that elastically flexible damping rings (10, 11) are provided in the plastic housing at the front and rear of the electric motor (M) coaxially to the drive axis of rotation. [13] Drive unit (1) according to claim 12, characterized by that at least one damping ring (11) is formed in one piece in a section of a housing part flanking an end face of the electric motor (M). [14] Drive unit (1) according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized by that the housing part is manufactured as a two-component injection-molded part from two plastic materials, one component of which is an elastomer material and forms the damping ring (11). [15] Drive unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat at least one housing part is provided on the inside with support profiles (15) which interact with complementary front-side counter-profiles (13) of the electric motor (M) in order to achieve torque support of the electric motor (M) relative to the plastic housing. [16] Drive unit (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that at least one housing part has an integrally formed adapter disc (9) on the outside on an output side of the drive rotation axis of the electric motor (M), which is designed to support the torque of the plastic housing on a functional component adjacent to the output side.

Images