Breakdown assistance system

Abstract

Breakdown assistance system (1) for inflating a vehicle tire, comprising a compressor (100) designed to pressurize tire sealant and air, the compressor (100) comprising: - a first electric motor (110), - a second electric motor (120), - a piston (130) which is arranged displaceably along a longitudinal direction (141) in a cylinder housing (140), wherein the first electric motor (110) and the second electric motor (120) are each coupled to the piston (130) in order to drive the displacement of the piston (130) relative to the cylinder housing (140).

Description

[0001] The application relates to a breakdown assistance system for inflating a vehicle tire, in particular for a motor vehicle.

[0002] A breakdown assistance system is used, for example, in a motor vehicle to enable the tire to be sealed and inflated in the event of a tire puncture.

[0003] It is desirable to provide a breakdown assistance system that enables reliable operation.

[0004] A breakdown assistance system for inflating a vehicle tire is specified. The breakdown assistance system includes a compressor. The compressor is designed to pressurize tire sealant. Furthermore, the compressor is designed to pressurize air. Using the breakdown assistance system's compressor, it is thus possible to pump tire sealant and / or air into the vehicle tire.

[0005] The compressor has a first electric motor. The compressor has a second electric motor. The compressor has a piston. The piston is arranged in a cylinder housing so that it can move along a longitudinal direction. The first electric motor and the second electric motor together form the drive for the movement of the piston. In particular, a single piston is provided, which is driven jointly by the two electric motors. The drive energy of the first electric motor and the drive energy of the second electric motor are jointly transferred to the piston. The kinetic energy of the piston results from the first electric motor and the second electric motor.

[0006] The compressor with the single piston, which is driven by the two electric motors, is designed to provide higher pressures than a compressor with only a single electric motor. For example, it is thus possible to seal and inflate not only a vehicle tire of a passenger car, but also, for example, a vehicle tire of a heavy vehicle such as a transport vehicle and / or delivery van. Vehicle tires of transport vehicles operate at a higher pressure than vehicle tires of passenger cars. For example, a tire pressure of up to 700 kPa (7 bar) is required, for example up to 600 kPa (6 bar). The maximum pressure that the compressor can achieve can be up to 900 kPa.

[0007] The two electric motors together can provide the higher forces required to drive the compressor in order to achieve these higher pressures. The drive power for the compressor is provided by the two electric motors. This doubles the drive power compared to a single electric motor. However, the power consumption of the individual electric motors remains within a range that can still be provided by the vehicle's power supply, for example via the cigarette lighter socket. For a single electric motor that can provide a similar amount of drive energy for pressures of up to 700 kPa or more, the power consumption would be significantly higher. The current consumption would also be significantly higher. The costs would also be significantly higher. The costs for the two weaker electric motors are lower than those of a single, more powerful electric motor.

[0008] In addition, the compressor's installation space can be kept small, as the two electric motors require no additional space, especially along a vertical axis that runs perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. A single, more powerful motor would have a larger diameter, making the compressor larger along the vertical axis. The use of a single piston avoids dynamic feedback that can occur with two pistons, each driven by an electric motor.

[0009] According to one embodiment, the compressor has a piston shaft. The piston shaft is designed to drive the displacement of the piston. The compressor has a transmission. The transmission couples the first electric motor and the second electric motor to the piston shaft. Thus, the single piston shaft is coupled to the two electric motors. The drive energy of the two electric motors can be transferred to the common piston shaft via the transmission.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the transmission has a first gear. The transmission has a second gear. The transmission has a third gear. The first gear is connected to a drive shaft of the first electric motor. The first electric motor is configured to rotate the drive shaft and thus the first gear. The second gear is connected to a drive shaft of the second electric motor. The second electric motor is configured to rotate the drive shaft and the second gear. The first gear and the second gear are each in mesh with the third gear.

[0011] During operation, the rotation of the first gear and the rotation of the second gear jointly rotate the third gear. The third gear is thus rotatable by means of the first electric motor and the second electric motor. In particular, the first gear and the second gear are not directly meshed with each other. The third gear is coupled to the piston shaft. Rotation of the third gear causes the piston shaft to move.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the first gear and the second gear are of identical design. The third gear has a larger diameter than the first gear. The third gear has a larger diameter than the second gear. The first and second gears have the same diameter. Thus, the drive energy of the two electric motors can be combined in the third gear to drive the piston shaft and thus the piston.

[0013] For example, the first gear has a diameter in a range between 6 mm and 15 mm inclusive. For example, the second gear has a diameter in a range between 6 mm and 15 mm inclusive. For example, the third gear has a diameter in a range between 40 mm and 55 mm inclusive.

[0014] According to one embodiment, the electric motor has a nominal power consumption of less than 20 A. The second electric motor has a nominal power consumption of less than 20 A. During operation, the maximum power consumption of each of the two electric motors is 20 A. Thus, each of the two electric motors can be supplied with electrical energy from a conventional power supply in the vehicle, for example, when the breakdown assistance system is connected to a cigarette lighter socket in the vehicle.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the cylinder housing is made of metal. Thus, the cylinder housing can withstand higher temperatures. Thus, the cylinder housing is designed to withstand the temperatures that occur when providing the higher pressure of up to 6 bar or up to 7 bar without damage. The temperatures can also be dissipated, for example, via the metal housing. In particular, the cylinder housing is made of metal to withstand higher temperatures than a plastic housing.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the cylinder housing has an outlet valve. The outlet valve is designed as a flutter valve. The flutter valve is a check valve that allows air to escape from the cylinder housing. In particular, air can be expelled from the cylinder housing by the piston through the flutter valve. The flutter valve is closed in particular when no higher pressure is generated in the cylinder housing by the piston. An inflow of air from outside through the flutter valve into the cylinder housing is prevented by the flutter valve. The flutter valve is designed to withstand the temperatures occurring during operation. Furthermore, the flutter valve itself does not generate any relevant additional heat input during operation.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the first electric motor and the second electric motor are arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction. Thus, the two electric motors can be arranged in the breakdown assistance system without requiring additional installation space along the vertical direction.

[0018] Further advantages, features, and refinements are evident from the following examples explained in conjunction with the figures. Identical, similar, and functionally identical elements may be provided with the same reference numerals throughout the figures. The figures and the proportions of the elements depicted in the figures are not to scale.

[0019] They show: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of a breakdown assistance system according to an embodiment, and Fig. 2 a schematic representation of the breakdown assistance system with a compressor according to an embodiment.

[0020] Fig. 1 shows a breakdown assistance system 1. The breakdown assistance system 1 is designed for sealing and inflating a vehicle tire. For this purpose, the breakdown assistance system 1 is particularly designed for pumping sealant into the vehicle tire and for inflating the vehicle tire. For pumping the sealant and air, the breakdown assistance system 1 has a compressor 100 ( Fig. 2) appears.

[0021] Fig. Figure 2 shows a schematic view of the breakdown assistance system 1 with the compressor 100. The breakdown assistance system 1, and in particular the compressor 100, are designed to inflate a vehicle tire to a pressure of up to 700 kPa. Thus, the breakdown assistance system 1 can be used for both a passenger car and a van, where a tire pressure of up to 600 or up to 700 kPa is provided.

[0022] The compressor 100 of the breakdown assistance system 1 can be driven with electrical energy. The electrical energy is drawn, for example, from the vehicle's electrical system. The compressor can thus be operated, for example, with a 12 V, 24 V, or 48 V power source. The power consumption of the compressor 100 is particularly low enough to use a conventional vehicle electrical system. The current consumption is, for example, 20 A or less to pump the sealant into the tire and inflate the tire with air or another gas.

[0023] The compressor 100 has a piston 130 that is longitudinally displaceable in a cylinder housing 140 along a longitudinal direction 141. To apply pressure to the sealant and / or the air, the piston 130 is moved back and forth relative to the cylinder housing 140 along the longitudinal direction 141. The air is thus forced out of the cylinder housing 140 and conveyed through an outlet valve 142.

[0024] In order to provide pressures of up to 600 kPa or up to 700 kPa, the compressor 100 is designed to withstand the temperatures occurring during operation, for example temperatures in a range of 260 °C to 300 °C.

[0025] The cylinder housing 140 is formed, for example, from a metal, such as aluminum or another metal. The cylinder housing 140 is formed from a metal that can withstand the temperatures encountered during operation without undesired deformation or other deterioration.

[0026] For example, the outlet valve 142 is designed as a flutter valve 143. Thus, the outlet valve 142 is designed to withstand the temperatures occurring during operation without unintentionally impairing its functionality. Furthermore, the operation of the flutter valve 143 generates no heat of its own, or significantly less heat than the operation of a conventional check valve. It is also possible to design the outlet valve 142 with a valve type other than the flutter valve 143.

[0027] To drive the movement of the piston 130, the compressor 100 has a first electric motor 110 and a second electric motor 120. The piston 130 is connected to a gear 150 via a piston shaft 131. The two electric motors 110, 120 are also connected to the gear 150. Thus, the drive energy of the electric motors 110, 120 can be transferred to the piston shaft 131 and thus to the piston 130 via the gear 150.

[0028] The electric motors 110, 120 are each designed to be supplied with electrical energy via the power supply conventionally present in the vehicle. The first electric motor 110, in particular, has a power consumption of less than 20 A during operation. In particular, the second electric motor 120 has a power consumption of less than 20 A during operation.

[0029] The first electric motor 110 has a drive shaft 111 that rotates during operation. The drive shaft 111 is coupled or connected to a first gear 151 to rotate the first gear 151 during operation. For example, the first gear 151 is mounted directly onto the drive shaft 111 of the first electric motor 110.

[0030] The second electric motor 120 has a drive shaft 121 that rotates during operation. A second gear 152 of the transmission 150 is coupled or connected to the drive shaft 121 of the second electric motor 120. For example, the second gear 152 is mounted directly onto the drive shaft 121 of the second electric motor 120. For example, the first electric motor 110 with the drive shaft 111 and the first gear 151 and the second electric motor 120 with the second drive shaft 121 and the second gear 152 are of identical design.

[0031] In addition to the first gear 151 and the second gear 152, the transmission 150 has a third gear 153. The third gear 153 is coupled to the first gear 151. The third gear 153 is coupled to the second gear 152. The first gear 151 is engaged with the third gear 153, such that a rotational movement of the first gear 151 causes a rotational movement of the third gear 153. The second gear 152 is engaged with the third gear 153, such that a rotational movement of the second gear 152 causes a rotational movement of the third gear 153.

[0032] The third gear 153 is coupled to both the first electric motor 110 and the second electric motor 120. The third gear 153 can be driven by the first electric motor 110 and the second electric motor 120. The two electric motors 110, 120 are arranged and configured to jointly drive a rotary movement of the third gear 153. The drive energy of the first electric motor 110 and the drive energy of the second electric motor 120 are combined in the third gear 153.

[0033] The third gear 153 is coupled to the piston shaft 131. For example, the piston shaft 131 is eccentrically mounted on the third gear 153, so that a rotational movement of the third gear 153 is translated into a movement of the piston shaft 131, which has a linear component along the longitudinal direction 141. Thus, the linear movement of the piston 130 relative to the cylinder housing 140 can be realized by means of the electric motors 110, 120 and the transmission 150.

[0034] The first gear 151 has a first diameter 154. For example, the second gear 152 also has the first diameter 154. The third gear 153 has a second diameter 155. The second diameter 155 of the third gear 153 is larger than the first diameter 154. The third gear 153 is larger than the first gear 151. The third gear 153 is larger than the second gear 152. Thus, the drive energy of the two electric motors 110, 120 can be reliably combined in the third gear 153 and transferred to the single common piston 130.

[0035] For example, the two drive shafts 111, 121 are aligned along a transverse direction 144. The transverse direction 144 is oriented, in particular, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction 141. A main planar dimension of the breakdown assistance system 1 extends, in particular, along a plane spanned by the longitudinal direction 141 and the transverse direction 144. A vertical direction 145 is oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal direction 141 and the transverse direction 144. For example, the breakdown assistance system 1 has a smaller dimension along the vertical direction 145 than along the longitudinal direction 141 and the transverse direction 144.

[0036] According to the illustrated embodiment, the first electric motor 110 and the second electric motor 120 are arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction 141. Thus, the breakdown assistance system 1 can be configured with the additional second electric motor 120 without requiring additional installation space along the vertical direction 145. The breakdown assistance system 1, and in particular the compressor 100, can be configured with the same height along the vertical direction 145 as a conventional compressor having only a single electric motor.

[0037] For example, the first electric motor 110 and the second electric motor 120 each have a diameter transverse to the transverse direction 144 that corresponds to the diameter of a conventional electric motor provided in a breakdown assistance system for a passenger car, which is designed to provide a pressure of 350 kPa or less. The drive energy required for the breakdown assistance system 1 according to the present disclosure for the pressures of up to 600 kPa or up to 700 kPa for the piston 130 is provided by the two electric motors 110, 120, without requiring additional installation space along the vertical direction 145. This would be different if only a single, more powerful electric motor were used. This would have a larger diameter transverse to the transverse direction 144 and thus require additional installation space along the vertical direction 145.In addition, this single motor would have a higher power consumption, meaning that it would no longer be possible to supply power using the vehicle's conventional electrical system.

[0038] The two electric motors 110, 120 together provide sufficient power to provide the desired pressures of more than 350 kPa by means of the breakdown assistance system 1. Furthermore, the breakdown assistance system is designed to reliably withstand the temperatures encountered during operation. The breakdown assistance system 1 and the compressor 100 can be manufactured cost-effectively. Reference symbol 1 breakdown assistance system 100 compressor 110 first electric motor 111 Drive shaft 120 second electric motor 121 Drive shaft 130 pistons 131 Piston shaft 140 cylinder housing 141 Longitudinal direction 142 exhaust valve 143 Flapping valve 144 Transverse direction 145 Vertical direction 150 gearboxes 151 first gear 152 second gear 153 third gear 154 first diameter 155 second diameter

Claims

[1] Breakdown assistance system (1) for inflating a vehicle tire, comprising a compressor (100) configured for pressurizing tire sealant and air, wherein the compressor (100) comprises: - a first electric motor (110), - a second electric motor (120), - a piston (130) which is arranged to be displaceable along a longitudinal direction (141) in a cylinder housing (140), wherein the first electric motor (110) and the second electric motor (120) are each coupled to the piston (130) to drive the displacement of the piston (130) relative to the cylinder housing (140). [2] Breakdown assistance system according to claim 1, wherein the compressor (100) comprises: - a piston shaft (131) for driving the displacement of the piston (130), and - a gearbox (150) that couples the first electric motor (110) and the second electric motor (120) to the piston shaft (131). [3] Breakdown assistance system according to claim 2, wherein the transmission (150) comprises: - a first gear (151) connected to a drive shaft (111) of the first electric motor (110), - a second gear (152) connected to a drive shaft (121) of the second electric motor (120), and - a third gear (153) coupled to the piston shaft (131), wherein the first gear (151) and the second gear (152) are each engaged with the third gear (153). [4] Breakdown assistance system according to claim 3, wherein the first gear (151) and the second gear (152) are of the same design and the third gear (153) has a larger diameter (154) than the first and the second gear (151, 152). [5] Breakdown assistance system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first electric motor (110) and the second electric motor (120) each have a nominal power input of less than 20 amperes. [6] Breakdown assistance system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cylinder housing (140) is made of a metal. [7] Breakdown assistance system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cylinder housing (140) has an exhaust valve (142) designed as a reed valve (143). [8] Breakdown assistance system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the compressor (100) is configured to provide an air pressure of up to 700 kilopascals. [9] Breakdown assistance system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first electric motor (110) and the second electric motor (120) are arranged side by side along the longitudinal direction (141).

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