Adjustment arrangement, in particular a spindle drive, for adjusting an adjustment element, in particular a flap, of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to an adjustment arrangement for adjusting an adjustment element (4) of a motor vehicle (5), which has a motorized or non-motorized drive unit (6), wherein the drive unit (6) has as string components (7) a hollow cylinder (8) and a rod (9) axially guided therein, wherein the adjustment arrangement (1) has a drive spring arrangement (17) with a drive spring (18), wherein, for guiding the drive spring (18) during operation of the adjustment arrangement (1), a tubular guide (19) having a circumferential radial guide surface (20) extends outside or inside the drive spring (18).It is proposed that the circumferential radial guide surface (20) of the tubular guide (19) has a geometry that differs from that of a cylindrical surface, such that the drive spring (18) in the operation of the adjusting arrangement (1) can only contact the circumferential radial guide surface (20) of the tubular guide (19) in the circumferential direction around the geometric drive axis (10) with individual drive spring circumferential sections (21).

Description

The present invention relates to an adjustment arrangement, in particular a spindle drive, for adjusting an adjustment element, in particular a flap, of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1, and to an adjustment arrangement, in particular a spindle drive, for adjusting an adjustment element, in particular a flap, of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 11. The term "adjusting element" is to be understood broadly in this context. It includes, for example, flaps such as tailgates, trunk lids, hoods, front hoods, side doors, cargo hatches or the like, or sliding doors of a motor vehicle. Various drive types are known for adjusting such an adjusting element, for example, a tailgate. Both motor-driven and motorless adjusting arrangements are known. A motor-driven adjusting arrangement is, for example, a spindle drive that uses a drive unit with a drive motor to drive a spindle-spindle nut gear as a feed mechanism to generate linear drive movements. A motorless adjusting arrangement is, for example, a gas pressure element that comprises a drive unit with a gas-filled gas pressure element cylinder and a gas pressure element piston rod, i.e., a push rod with a piston at its end, guided axially within it. The gas filled into the cylinder is pressurized and thus provides a spring force.The drive unit of the spindle drive or the gas pressure element may also include a drive spring arrangement with at least one drive spring, in particular a helical spring, which provides an additional spring force to support the drive movements. The known prior art (DE10 2017 117 993 A1), from which the invention is based, relates to an adjustment arrangement in the form of a spindle drive for adjusting a tailgate, comprising a drive motor and a spindle-spindle nut drive downstream of the drive motor for generating linear drive movements. Two drive connections are provided for transmitting the drive movements, which are biased against each other by means of a drive spring. In the known adjustment arrangement, the spindle nut is connected to a spindle guide tube, which serves to guide the spindle projecting through the spindle nut. A separate spring guide tube supports the drive spring in a radial direction with respect to the geometric drive axis in such a way that a corresponding radial deflection of the helical spring is prevented. Minimizing operating noise is a challenge. For example, a sticky noise can occur during tailgate operation, caused by the movement of the spring coils on the radial guide surface of the spring guide tube. This phenomenon is due to the stick-slip effect, where the drive spring temporarily "sticks" due to friction and then releases abruptly. The greater the contact pressure of the drive spring against the guide surface, the more pronounced the noise. The invention is based on the problem of designing and further developing the known adjustment arrangement in such a way that further optimization is achieved with regard to operating noise. The above problem is solved by the features of the characterizing part of claim 1. The fundamental principle is to reduce the contact area between the drive spring and a guide surface of a tubular guide associated with the drive spring, in particular a spring guide tube or housing tube, thus avoiding full contact. In this way, the difference between static and sliding friction can be equalized, effectively preventing static noise. At the same time, this also reduces wear. Specifically, it is proposed that the circumferential radial guide surface of the tubular guide has a geometry that differs from that of a cylindrical surface, such that, during operation of the adjustment arrangement, the drive spring can only contact the circumferential radial guide surface of the tubular guide with individual sections of its circumference around the geometric drive axis. This modified guide surface avoids the stick-slip effect and reduces wear. Claim 2 specifies particularly preferred embodiments of the circumferential radial guide surface of the tubular guide, which aim to reduce the number of contact points between the drive spring and the guide surface. Furthermore, the non-circular contour can contribute to improved stability of the tubular guide. Claim 3 defines the drive spring as a particularly preferred embodiment, namely a helical spring. This spring has, in particular, round coils and is preferably cylindrical in shape. Such a drive spring offers a particularly simple and cost-effective solution for providing an axial spring force. According to the particularly preferred embodiment of claim 4, the adjusting arrangement comprises a drive housing, wherein one of the housing tubes is used to guide the drive spring. This enables a simple and elegant solution for guiding the drive spring by integrating the guide directly into the drive housing. This reduces the number of components and simplifies assembly. According to claims 5 and 6, the inner housing tube can also be shaped such that it reduces not only the contact area with the drive spring but also with the outer housing tube, thus avoiding full contact in both cases. This contributes to improved running characteristics between the housing tubes and can reduce friction and wear in this area. According to the particularly preferred embodiment of claim 7, the tubular guide has a uniform wall thickness throughout. This enables a uniform force distribution within the tubular guide and prevents certain areas of the guide from being excessively stressed, thus contributing to an increased service life of the adjustment arrangement. According to the particularly preferred embodiment of claim 8, a spring guide tube, i.e., a tubular component different from the aforementioned housing tubes, serves as a guide for the drive spring, either inside or outside the drive spring. In this case, the spring guide tube is preferably designed as proposed so that full contact of the drive spring is avoided. According to the preferred embodiment according to claim 9, the adjustment arrangement is designed as a spindle drive with a spindle-spindle nut drive or as a gas pressure element with a gas-filled gas pressure element cylinder and a gas pressure element piston rod axially guided therein, or as a purely mechanical spring-driven, in particular purely linearly adjustable, piston-cylinder arrangement. According to claim 10, the spring guide tube simultaneously forms an anti-rotation device for the spindle nut, thus also forming a torsion tube to convert the rotary movement of the spindle into a linear movement of the spindle nut and the spindle guide tube. According to a further teaching according to claim 11, which has independent significance, a further adjustment arrangement, in particular a spindle drive, for adjusting an adjustment element, in particular a flap, of a motor vehicle is claimed, wherein the adjustment arrangement for transmitting linear drive movements to the motor vehicle has two joint parts adjustable relative to each other along a geometric drive axis between a retracted position and an extended position, each of which forms a drive connection with a counter-joint part on the motor vehicle side for coupling to the adjustment element on the one hand and to the motor vehicle on the other, wherein the adjustment arrangement has a motorized or non-motorized drive unit, wherein the drive unit has a drive train with several drive-technically coupled train components in order to transmit a force introduced into the drive connections,wherein the drive unit comprises as string components a hollow cylinder and a rod axially guided therein, wherein one of the joint parts is axially fixedly coupled to the hollow cylinder and the other of the joint parts to the rod, wherein the adjustment arrangement comprises a drive housing with an outer housing tube and an inner housing tube which telescopically slide into one another during adjustment between the retracted position and the extended position, and wherein, for guiding the inner housing tube on the outer housing tube during operation of the adjustment arrangement, the inner housing tube has a circumferential radial outer surface. It is essential that the circumferential radial outer surface of the inner housing tube has a geometry that differs from that of a cylindrical shell surface, such that the outer housing tube, during operation of the adjustment arrangement, can only touch the circumferential radial outer surface in the circumferential direction around the geometric drive axis with individual housing tube circumferential sections. The inner housing tube is shaped in such a way as to reduce the contact area with the outer housing tube, thus preventing full contact. This improves the running properties between the housing tubes and can reduce friction and wear in this area. Reference may be made to all explanations regarding the proposed adjustment arrangement according to the first teaching. The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing that merely illustrates exemplary embodiments. In the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a schematic perspective view of the rear of a motor vehicle with a proposed adjustment arrangement, Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of a proposed adjustment arrangement a) in a retracted position and b) in an extended position, and Fig. 3 shows enlarged sectional views of a detail of the proposed adjustment arrangement according to Fig. 2 and two variants in cross-section. The adjustment arrangement 1 shown in the figures can be designed as a motor-driven adjustment arrangement 1, here and preferably as a spindle drive 2 in a manner to be explained below, but also in principle as a motorless adjustment arrangement 1, for example as a gas pressure element 3 in a manner to be explained below. The proposed adjustment arrangement 1 is described below with reference to Figures 2 and 3, which here depict a motorized and simultaneously spring-driven adjustment of an adjustment element 4, in particular a flap, of a motor vehicle 5. According to Figure 1, the adjustment element 4 is a tailgate of the motor vehicle 5. For other embodiments of the adjustment element 4, reference is made to the list in the introductory part of the description. Several, in particular two, adjustment arrangements 1 for adjusting the adjustment element 4 may be provided. In particular, a motor-driven adjustment arrangement 1 and a motorless adjustment arrangement 1 may be provided. The adjustment arrangements 1 in the figures each have a drive unit 6, which comprises a hollow cylinder 8 and a rod 9 axially guided therein, which can be made of solid material (Fig. 3) or designed as a hollow body, as force- or torque-transmitting string components 7. The hollow cylinder 8 and the rod 9 are preloaded against each other, here and preferably in the extended position of the adjustment arrangement 1. The extended position is reached here in the state mounted on the motor vehicle 5 when the adjustment element 4 or the flap is in the fully open position (Fig. 1, Fig. 2b). Correspondingly, the retracted position of the adjustment arrangement 1 is reached when the adjustment element 4 or the flap is in the fully closed position (Fig. 2a). "Axial" here and subsequently always means parallel to the geometric drive axis 10 of the adjustment arrangement 1. In a spindle drive 2 as an adjusting arrangement 1, the rod 9 is here, and preferably, a spindle 11, and the hollow cylinder 8 is a spindle guide tube 12 with a spindle nut 13 arranged axially and rotationally fixed to it, meshing with the spindle 11 via a screw engagement. Such a spindle-spindle nut drive is well known and requires no further explanation here. The spindle-spindle nut drive can be actuated here, and preferably, via an optional drive motor of the motorized drive unit 6 in the usual manner. In this context, the term "axially fixed" refers to a form-fit and / or force-fit and / or material-fit connection or an integral connection (one-piece design). According to another embodiment, the proposed adjustment arrangement 1 can also be purely spring-driven, thus also serving for non-motorized, exclusively spring-driven adjustment of the adjustment element 4. In this case, the proposed adjustment arrangement 1 has a non-motorized drive unit 6. Such an adjustment arrangement 1 can be designed as a gas pressure element 3, but also, in principle, as a purely mechanical spring-driven piston-cylinder arrangement, in particular as a purely linearly adjustable piston-cylinder arrangement or as a (then motorless) spindle drive 2. The adjusting arrangement 1, even in the case of a gas pressure element 3, comprises the force- or torque-transmitting components 7, hollow cylinder 8, and rod 9, which will be explained in more detail below. In this case, the hollow cylinder 8 and the rod 9 are pre-tensioned against each other, particularly in the extended position, by means of a gas filled into the hollow cylinder 8. In a purely mechanically spring-driven piston-cylinder arrangement, the adjusting arrangement 1 also comprises the force- or torque-transmitting components 7, hollow cylinder 8, and rod 9, which, however, are then only mechanically spring-loaded against each other, particularly in the extended position, and not by means of a gas filled into the hollow cylinder 8.The following applies accordingly not only to a motorized spindle drive 2 and a gas pressure element 3, but equally to a purely mechanical spring-driven piston-cylinder arrangement. To transmit linear drive movements to the motor vehicle 5, the adjusting arrangements 1 shown in the figures each have two joint parts 14 that are adjustable relative to each other along the geometric drive axis 10 between a retracted position and an extended position. These joint parts are preferably identical in construction. The upper joint part 14 shown in Figures 1 and 2, together with a counter-joint part 15 on the motor vehicle side, which is arranged here on the adjusting element 4, forms a first drive connection 16 for coupling with the adjusting element 4. The lower joint part 14 shown in Figures 1 and 2, together with a counter-joint part 15 on the motor vehicle side, which is arranged here on the motor vehicle body 5, forms a second drive connection 16 for coupling with the motor vehicle 5.Here, and preferably, the two joint parts 14 each have a ball socket which is articulated to a ball head of the respective counter-joint part 15. In principle, it is also conceivable that the joint parts 14 have a ball head and the counter-joint part 15 has a ball socket. As Fig. 2 shows, one joint part 14 is axially fixed to the hollow cylinder 8 and the other joint part 14 - in the case of the spindle drive 2 via the drive motor and an optional reduction gear - is axially fixed to the rod 9. Furthermore, the proposed adjustment arrangement 1, as part of the drive unit 6, comprises a drive spring arrangement 17 with at least one drive spring 18, here exactly one drive spring 18, wherein the drive spring arrangement 17 acts on the two joint parts 14 by providing an axial spring force, here and preferably a compressive force, alternatively also a tensile force (not shown), i.e., is pre-tensioned on them. By means of the drive spring arrangement 17, and in the case of a gas pressure element 3 additionally by the gas filled into the hollow cylinder 8, the joint parts 14 are pre-tensioned against each other, here in the extended position. The at least one drive spring 18, here exactly one drive spring 18, is in particular a helical spring and here and preferably a helical compression spring.In principle, according to another embodiment not shown here, it is also conceivable to provide a helical extension spring as part of the drive spring arrangement 17, in addition to or as an alternative to a helical compression spring. To guide the drive spring 18 during operation of the adjusting arrangement 1, a tubular guide 19, which has a circumferential radial guide surface 20, extends either outside or inside the drive spring 18. This guide can be a housing part or a separate component, which will be explained in more detail below. In Fig. 3b), a single such tubular guide is provided, namely radially outside the drive spring. In Fig. 3c), two such tubular guides are provided, namely one also radially outside the drive spring, and another still inside the drive spring. The embodiment shown in the figures, and which is preferred in this respect, relates to an adjustment arrangement 1, in particular a spindle drive 2, for adjusting an adjustment element 4, in particular a flap, of a motor vehicle 5, wherein the adjustment arrangement 1 has two joint parts 14 adjustable relative to each other along a geometric drive axis 10 between a retracted position and an extended position for transmitting linear drive movements to the motor vehicle 5, each of which forms a drive connection 16 with a counter-joint part 15 on the motor vehicle side for coupling to the adjustment element 4 on the one hand and to the motor vehicle 5 on the other, wherein the adjustment arrangement 1 has a motorized or non-motorized drive unit 6, wherein the drive unit 6 has a drive train with several train components 7 coupled to each other in a drive-technical, i.e. force- or torque-transmitting, manner.to transmit a force introduced into the drive connections 16, wherein the drive unit 6 comprises, as string components 7, a hollow cylinder 8 and a rod 9 axially guided therein, wherein one of the joint parts 14 is axially fixedly coupled to the hollow cylinder 8 and the other of the joint parts 14 is axially fixedly coupled to the rod 9, wherein the adjusting arrangement 1 comprises a drive spring arrangement 17 with a drive spring 18 (or with several drive springs 18) which acts on the two joint parts 14 by providing an axial spring force, wherein, for guiding the drive spring 18 during operation of the adjusting arrangement 1, a tubular guide 19, which has a circumferential radial guide surface 20, extends outside or inside the drive spring 18. The guide surface 20 extends at least along a part, preferably the largest part, of the axial extent of the tubular guide 19, i.e., the tubular component.which serves to guide the drive spring 18. Depending on which component forms the tubular guide 19, a radial guide surface 20 rotating around the geometric drive axis 10 is either the radially inner surface of the tubular guide (Figs. 3b and 3c) or the radially outer surface of the tubular guide 19 (Fig. 3c)), which will be explained further below. To guide the drive spring 18, a tubular guide 19 can also extend both outside and inside the drive spring 18, with one tubular guide 19 having a radially inwardly directed guide surface 20 and the other tubular guide 19 having a radially outwardly directed guide surface 20 (Fig. 3c)). Crucially, the circumferential radial guide surface 20 of the tubular guide 19 has a geometry that differs from that of a cylindrical surface, such that, during operation of the adjusting arrangement 1, the drive spring 18 can only contact the circumferential radial guide surface 20 of the tubular guide 19 circumferentially around the geometric drive axis 10 with individual sections 21 of the drive spring's circumference. This reduces the contact area between the drive spring and the guide surface of the tubular guide associated with the drive spring, thus preventing full contact. In this way, the difference between static and sliding friction can be equalized, effectively preventing static noise. At the same time, this also reduces wear. The term "drive spring circumferential sections" 21 refers to circumferentially spaced sections of the radial outer surface and / or the radial inner surface of each of the spring coils 22 of the drive spring 18. Accordingly, the circumferential radial guide surface 20 of the tubular guide 19 is only in contact with the drive spring 18 over certain partial areas of its circumference. Thus, there is no full circumferential contact, but rather only point contact between the guide surface 20 and the drive spring 18. Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the circumferential radial guide surface 20 of the tubular guide 19 has a non-circular contour in cross-section, preferably a polygonal contour. “In cross-section” here, as in Fig. 3b) and Fig. 3c), always means the section orthogonal to the geometric drive axis 10. A non-circular contour is a particularly preferred solution to ensure that the drive spring 18 can only contact the guide surface 20 in the circumferential direction around the geometric drive axis 10 with individual drive spring circumferential sections 21. A polygonal contour, as used here and in the following, is understood more generally to be a contour that has several vertices connected by an arbitrarily long connecting line, in particular a straight or simply or multiply curved connecting line. This includes a polygonal contour, i.e., a contour consisting of several straight line segments connected at vertices. Examples include a rectangle, a hexagon, a decagon (as shown in Fig. 3b) radially inside and a decagon (as shown in Fig. 3c) radially inside and radially outside, or the like, but also a circular basic contour supplemented by regularly or irregularly arranged, outwardly directed projections that define the vertices (Fig. 3b) radially outside). The latter corresponds to a cylindrical tube or tube section with axially extending ribs molded onto the outside. Additionally or alternatively, the circumferential radial guide surface 20 of the tubular guide 19 has a rotationally symmetrical contour in cross-section in all embodiments. A rotationally symmetrical contour offers particularly uniform guidance in the circumferential direction and is also particularly easy to assemble. The drive spring 18 is, and preferably is, a helical spring, in particular a compression spring. The spring coils 22 of the drive spring 18, which in operation of the adjusting arrangement 1 radially contact or may contact the circumferential radial guide surface 20 of the tubular guide 19, and in particular, as here, all spring coils 22 of the drive spring 18, are round spring coils 22. Here, and preferably, the drive spring 18 is a cylindrical spring. Round spring coils 22 are spring coils 22 whose radial inner surface 23 and / or radial outer surface 24 extend around the geometric drive axis 10 along an imaginary cylindrical surface. In the case of a cylindrical spring, this applies to all spring coils 22, possibly with the exception of the respective end coil, which may have a different shape due to the design. The spring coils 22 accordingly have the same inner coil diameter Di and / or outer coil diameter Da. However, it is also conceivable that a varying coil diameter is provided. According to the embodiment shown in the figures, which is preferred in this respect, it is further and preferably provided that the adjustment arrangement 1 has a drive housing 25 with an outer housing tube 26 and an inner housing tube 27, which telescopically slide into one another during adjustment between the retracted position and the extended position. Here, and preferably, the two housing tubes 21, 22 are axially fixed to each of the joint parts 14 that are associated with them. In this case, the tubular guide 19 is formed by the inner housing tube 27. Alternatively or additionally, according to another embodiment not shown here, the adjusting arrangement 1 may also have a drive housing 25 with a single housing tube 21, 22, which, during adjustment between the retracted and extended positions, telescopically slides into the hollow cylinder 8, and the tubular guide 19 is formed by the single housing tube 21, 22. The circumferential radial guide surface 20 of the tubular guide 19 is thus the radial inner surface of the single housing tube 21, 22. To guide the inner housing tube 27 along the outer housing tube 26 during operation of the adjustment arrangement 1, the inner housing tube 27 preferably has a circumferential radial outer surface 28. The radial outer surface 28 of the inner housing tube 27, which circumferentially surrounds the geometric drive axis, has a geometry that deviates from that of a cylindrical surface, such that during operation of the adjustment arrangement 1, the outer housing tube 21, 22 can only contact the circumferential radial outer surface 28 of the inner housing tube 27 in the circumferential direction around the geometric drive axis 10 with individual housing tube circumferential sections 29. The term "housing tube circumferential sections" 29 refers to circumferentially spaced sections of the radial inner surface of the outer housing tube 26. Accordingly, the circumferential radial outer surface 28 of the inner housing tube 27 is only in contact with the outer housing tube 26 over certain partial regions of its circumference. Thus, there is no full circumferential contact, but rather, as shown in Figures 3b) and 3c), only line contact between the outer surface 28 of the inner housing tube 27 and the outer housing tube 26. This contributes to improved running characteristics between the housing tubes and can reduce friction and wear in this area. The inner housing tube 27 forms, in particular, a said circumferential radial guide surface 20 on the inside and a said circumferential radial outer surface 28 on the outside. Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the circumferential radial outer surface 28 of the inner housing tube 27 has a non-circular contour in cross-section, preferably a polygonal contour. Additionally or alternatively, the circumferential radial outer surface 28 of the inner housing tube 27 has a rotationally symmetrical contour in cross-section, i.e., in section orthogonal to the geometric drive axis. An irregular contour also ensures that the outer housing tube 21, 22 can only touch the circumferential radial outer surface 28 of the inner housing tube 27 in the circumferential direction around the geometric drive axis 10 with individual housing tube circumferential sections 29. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3c), the tubular guide 19 preferably has a uniform wall thickness around the geometric drive axis 10. This is shown in Fig. 3c) as an example for the inner housing tube as a tubular guide, but can also be provided for other variants of a tubular guide, for example a spring guide tube, as described below. Furthermore, and preferably, it is provided here that a spring guide tube 30, separate from the drive housing 25, runs inside the drive spring 18 to guide it. The spring guide tube 30 supports the drive spring 18 radially inwards with respect to the geometric drive axis 10 in such a way that any corresponding radial deflection of the helical spring is minimized or avoided. The tubular guide 19 is formed by the spring guide tube 30, wherein the circumferential radial guide surface 20 of the tubular guide 19 is the radial outer surface of the spring guide tube 30. According to another embodiment, not shown here, a spring guide tube 30, separate from the drive housing 25, can also be provided for guiding the drive spring 18, extending outside the drive spring 18, and the tubular guide 19 is formed by the spring guide tube 30. The circumferential radial guide surface 20 of the tubular guide 19 is then the radial inner surface of the spring guide tube 30. As previously explained, the adjustment arrangement is designed as a spindle drive, wherein the strand component forming the hollow cylinder is a spindle guide tube with an axially fixed and rotationally fixed spindle nut, and the strand component forming the rod is a spindle meshing with the spindle nut, in particular made of solid material (Fig. 2 and Fig. 3). Alternatively, as mentioned, the adjusting arrangement can also be designed as a gas pressure element, wherein the strand component forming the hollow cylinder is a gas-filled gas pressure element cylinder and the strand component forming the rod is a gas pressure element piston rod axially guided therein, in particular designed as a hollow body. Or it can be provided that the adjusting arrangement is designed as a purely mechanically spring-driven, in particular purely linearly adjustable, piston-cylinder arrangement, wherein the strand component forming the hollow cylinder is a pressureless cylinder and the strand component forming the rod is a piston rod axially guided therein. In the embodiments shown here and thus preferred, the spring guide tube 30 also forms an anti-rotation device for the spindle nut 13, thus having a multiple function inside. For this purpose, the spring guide tube is preferably rotationally fixed to the bearing 31 of the spindle 11 and forms a so-called torsion tube 32. This converts the rotary movement of the spindle into a linear movement of the spindle nut and the spindle guide tube. According to a further teaching, an adjustment arrangement 1, in particular a spindle drive 2, is proposed for adjusting an adjustment element 4, in particular a flap, of a motor vehicle 5, wherein the adjustment arrangement 1 has two joint parts 14 adjustable relative to each other along a geometric drive axis 10 between a retracted position and an extended position for transmitting linear drive movements to the motor vehicle 5, each of which forms a drive connection 16 with a counter-joint part 15 on the motor vehicle side for coupling to the adjustment element 4 on the one hand and to the motor vehicle 5 on the other, wherein the adjustment arrangement 1 has a motorized or non-motorized drive unit 6, wherein the drive unit 6 has a drive train with several drive-technically coupled train components 7 in order to transmit a force introduced into the drive connections 16,wherein the drive unit 6 comprises as string components 7 a hollow cylinder 8 and a rod 9 axially guided therein, wherein one of the joint parts 14 is axially fixedly coupled to the hollow cylinder 8 and the other of the joint parts 14 is axially fixedly coupled to the rod 9, wherein the adjusting arrangement 1 comprises a drive housing 25 with an outer housing tube 26 and an inner housing tube 27, which telescopically slide into one another during adjustment between the retracted position and the extended position, and wherein, in order to guide the inner housing tube 27 on the outer housing tube 26 during operation of the adjusting arrangement 1, the inner housing tube 27 has a circumferential radial outer surface 28. Essential to this further teaching is that the circumferential radial outer surface 28 of the inner housing tube 27 has a geometry that deviates from a cylindrical surface, such that the outer housing tube 21, 22 in the operation of the adjusting arrangement 1 can only touch the circumferential radial outer surface 28 in the circumferential direction around the geometric drive axis 10 with individual housing tube circumferential sections 29. As already explained, “housing tube circumferential sections” 29 refer to sections of the radial inner surface of the outer housing tube 26 that are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. Here, and preferably, the radial inner surface of the outer housing tube 26 in the axial tube section, which touches the circumferential radial outer surface 28 during operation of the adjusting arrangement 1, is cylindrical, i.e., it has no projections over the circumference. Reference may be made to all explanations concerning the proposed adjustment arrangement 1 according to the first teaching. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature DE 10 2017 117 993 A1

[0004]

Claims

Adjustment arrangement, in particular spindle drive (2), for adjusting an adjustment element (4), in particular a flap, of a motor vehicle (5), wherein the adjustment arrangement (1) for transmitting linear drive movements to the motor vehicle (5) has two joint parts (14) adjustable relative to each other along a geometric drive axis (10) between a retracted position and an extended position, each of which forms a drive connection (16) with a motor vehicle-side counter-joint part (15) for coupling with the adjustment element (4) on the one hand and the motor vehicle (5) on the other, wherein the adjustment arrangement (1) has a motorized or non-motorized drive unit (6), wherein the drive unit (6) has a drive train with several drive-technically coupled train components (7) in order to transmit a force introduced into the drive connections (16),wherein the drive unit (6) comprises as string components (7) a hollow cylinder (8) and a rod (9) axially guided therein, wherein one of the joint parts (14) is axially fixedly coupled to the hollow cylinder (8) and the other of the joint parts (14) is axially fixedly coupled to the rod (9), wherein the adjusting arrangement (1) comprises a drive spring arrangement (17) with a drive spring (18) which acts on the two joint parts (14) by providing an axial spring force, wherein, for guiding the drive spring (18) during operation of the adjusting arrangement (1), a tubular guide (19) having a circumferential radial guide surface (20) extends outside or inside the drive spring (18), characterized in that the circumferential radial guide surface (20) of the tubular guide (19) has a geometry that differs from that of a cylindrical surface, such thatthat the drive spring (18) in operation of the adjusting arrangement (1) can only contact the circumferential radial guide surface (20) of the tubular guide (19) in the circumferential direction around the geometric drive axis (10) with individual drive spring circumferential sections (21). Adjustment arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the circumferential radial guide surface (20) of the tubular guide (19) has a non-circular contour in cross-section, preferably a polygonal contour, and / or that the circumferential radial guide surface (20) of the tubular guide (19) has a rotationally symmetrical contour in cross-section. Adjustment arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the drive spring (18) is a helical spring, in particular a helical compression spring, and that the spring coils (22) of the drive spring (18), which in operation of the adjustment arrangement (1) radially contact or may contact the circumferential radial guide surface (20) of the tubular guide (19), in particular all spring coils (22) of the drive spring (18), are round spring coils (22), preferably that the drive spring (18) is a cylindrical spring. Adjustment arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjustment arrangement (1) has a drive housing (25) with an outer housing tube (26) and an inner housing tube (27) which telescopically slide into each other during an adjustment between the retracted position and the extended position, and that the tubular guide (19) is formed by the inner housing tube (27). Adjustment arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that, for guiding the inner housing tube (27) on the outer housing tube (26) during operation of the adjustment arrangement (1), the inner housing tube (27) has a circumferential radial outer surface (28) and that the circumferential radial outer surface (28) of the inner housing tube (27) has a geometry deviating from a cylindrical surface, such that, during operation of the adjustment arrangement (1), the outer housing tube (21, 22) can only contact the circumferential radial outer surface (28) in the circumferential direction around the geometric drive axis (10) with individual housing tube circumferential sections (29). Adjustment arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the circumferential radial outer surface (28) has a non-circular contour in cross-section, preferably a polygonal contour, and / or that the circumferential radial outer surface (28) has a rotationally symmetrical contour in cross-section. Adjustment arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tubular guide (19) has a uniform wall thickness around the geometric drive axis (10). Adjustment arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a spring guide tube (30) runs inside the drive spring (18) for guiding the drive spring (18) and that the tubular guide (19) is formed by the spring guide tube (30), or that a spring guide tube (30) runs outside the drive spring (18) for guiding the drive spring (18) and that the tubular guide (19) is formed by the spring guide tube (30). Adjustment arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjustment arrangement (1) is designed as a spindle drive (2), wherein the strand component (7) forming the hollow cylinder (8) is a spindle guide tube (12) with a spindle nut (13) axially fixed and rotationally fixed to it, and the strand component (7) forming the rod (9) is a spindle (11) meshing with the spindle nut (13), in particular made of solid material, or that the adjustment arrangement (1) is designed as a gas pressure element (3), wherein the strand component (7) forming the hollow cylinder (8) is a gas-filled gas pressure element cylinder and the strand component (7) forming the rod (9) is a gas pressure element piston rod axially guided therein, or that the adjustment arrangement (1) is designed as a purely mechanically spring-driven, in particular purely linearly adjustable, piston-cylinder arrangement.wherein the strand component (7) forming the hollow cylinder (8) is a pressureless cylinder and the strand component (7) forming the rod (9) is a piston rod axially guided therein. Adjustment arrangement according to claim 8, characterized in that the spring guide tube (30) forms an anti-rotation device for the spindle nut (13). Adjustment arrangement, in particular spindle drive (2), for adjusting an adjustment element (4), in particular a flap, of a motor vehicle (5), wherein the adjustment arrangement (1) for transmitting linear drive movements to the motor vehicle (5) has two joint parts (14) adjustable relative to each other along a geometric drive axis (10) between a retracted position and an extended position, each of which forms a drive connection (16) with a motor vehicle-side counter-joint part (15) for coupling with the adjustment element (4) on the one hand and the motor vehicle (5) on the other, wherein the adjustment arrangement (1) has a motorized or non-motorized drive unit (6), wherein the drive unit (6) has a drive train with several drive-technically coupled train components (7) in order to transmit a force introduced into the drive connections (16),wherein the drive unit (6) comprises as string components (7) a hollow cylinder (8) and a rod (9) axially guided therein, wherein one of the joint parts (14) is axially fixedly coupled to the hollow cylinder (8) and the other of the joint parts (14) is axially fixedly coupled to the rod (9), wherein the adjustment arrangement (1) comprises a drive housing (25) with an outer housing tube (26) and an inner housing tube (27) which telescopically slide into one another during adjustment between the retracted position and the extended position, and wherein, for guiding the inner housing tube (27) on the outer housing tube (26) during operation of the adjustment arrangement (1), the inner housing tube (27) has a circumferential radial outer surface (28), characterized in that the circumferential radial outer surface (28) of the inner housing tube (27) has a geometry deviating from a cylindrical surface, such that the outer housing tube (21,22) in operation of the adjustment arrangement (1) the circumferential radial outer surface (28) can only contact individual housing tube circumferential sections (29) in the circumferential direction around the geometric drive axis (10).

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