MOTOR VEHICLE FLAP ARRANGEMENT

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a motor vehicle flap arrangement, in particular a motor vehicle door arrangement, with a wing pivotable relative to a body, further with an electric motor drive for the wing, and with a force sensor unit arranged in the force flow between the wing and the body, the sensor signals of which are evaluated by a control unit.

[0002] Motor vehicle flap arrangements come in a wide variety of variants. For example, the flap can be a tailgate, a fuel filler flap, a trunk flap, a cargo area flap, or even a hood. Typically, the flap is designed as a motor vehicle door. With the help of the electric motor drive, a wing belonging to the respective flap is actuated, in the simplest case, pivoting the flap relative to the body. As a result, in a motor vehicle door, a door opening is opened or closed. In a tailgate or trunk lid, a corresponding trunk opening is opened or closed.

[0003] The electric drive of such vehicle door assemblies can cause problems if there are obstacles or an operator's clothing in the pivoting path. In particular, motorized vehicle doors must be prevented from trapping an operator's clothing or fingers in the gap between the closing vehicle door and the body.

[0004] For this reason, devices are used to implement anti-pinch protection. As soon as a pinch is detected, a corresponding signal generated by the control unit usually ensures that the electric motor drive is not only stopped but is usually also actuated in the opposite direction, in this case swinging open the vehicle door and immediately releasing any trapped object.

[0005] The generic prior art according to DE 10 2016 211 777 A1 describes a vehicle door assembly with a door drive, which is characterized by a sensor device. In one variant, the sensor device can be designed as a force sensor. Using the force sensor, for example, the torsion of a drive shaft as a component of the electric motor drive can be measured. For this purpose, an inductive or capacitive sensor module is provided, which is used to determine the distance to an eccentric disc.

[0006] If the drive shaft rotates when the electric motor is actuated and an obstacle is encountered, the rotational speed of the eccentric disc deviates from the rotational speed of the motor, indicating a force braking the associated vehicle door, causing torsion of the drive shaft. Since the travel distances observed at this point are small, it cannot always be reliably ensured that a pinching event will not occur.

[0007] DE 10 2007 026 796 A1 describes a device for locking open doors or hatches of a motor vehicle. Among other things, this device has a sensor element with which a torque applied to the door can be detected. This is intended, in particular, to improve the usability of such locking devices for open doors. US 4 881 018 A and EP 1 229 201 A1 each disclose motor vehicle hatch assemblies with a wing pivotable relative to a body, an electric motor drive for pivoting the wing, and a force sensor unit arranged in the force flow between the wing and the body, the signals of which are evaluated by a control unit.EP 3 734 007 A1 and WO 2020 / 125850 A1 disclose motor vehicle flap assemblies with an electric motor-driven wing that can be pivoted relative to a body, and with a force sensor unit arranged in the force flow between the wing and the body, the sensor signals of which are evaluated by a control unit. Extensions are mounted in the motor vehicle flap assembly to shorten the path to the force sensor unit.

[0008] The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle flap arrangement in such a way that, in particular, a pinching situation can be detected safely and reliably.

[0009] The invention is based on a motor vehicle flap assembly with a wing pivotable relative to a body, further comprising an electric motor drive for the wing, and with a force sensor unit arranged in the force flow between the wing and the body, the sensor signals of which are evaluated by a control unit. The force sensor unit arranged in the force flow between the wing and the body is equipped with a mechanical transmission element that amplifies its sensor signals. This means that the transmission element ensures mechanically—and not electrically or electronically—that the sensor signals of the correspondingly designed force sensor unit are amplified.

[0010] The force sensor unit is designed in two parts. For this purpose, the force sensor unit consists primarily of a probe element containing the transmission element and a force sensor.

[0011] According to the invention, the design is such that the force sensor detects a spring-elastic, force-induced deformation of the sensing element as its sensing travel. This means that to measure the force acting on the leaf with the help of the electric motor drive, the sensing element is first deformed, and this deformation is spring-elastic overall. This ensures the long-term functionality of the sensing element. Furthermore, the deformation of the sensing element is force-induced, i.e., dependent on the force acting on the door leaf and provided by the electric motor drive.

[0012] The invention is based on the assumption that when the sash is acted upon, for example at the beginning of a closing movement of the sash relative to the body, the electric motor drive must exert an increased force on the sash in order to overcome any static friction forces from the sash bearings relative to the body and its inertia. As the sash continues to close relative to the body, however, a virtually constant force can be expected from the electric motor drive to close the sash relative to the body. If an increased force occurs within this closing path and thus a change in the spring-elastic and force-induced deformation of the sensing element, the sensing path covered by the sensing element also changes. Since the force sensor detects the sensing path of the sensing element, this change can be interpreted as a pinching event by the control unit evaluating the sensor signals.

[0013] As previously explained, the pinching event detected by the control unit is generally implemented in such a way that not only is the electric motor drive immediately stopped, but usually also a reversal of the electric motor drive and, consequently, an opening movement of the sash is generated with the help of the electric motor drive. According to the invention, all of this is achieved particularly sensitively because the force sensor unit is equipped with a mechanical transmission element that amplifies its sensor signals. This means that the transmission element mechanically ensures that even the smallest deformations of the bending element are translated by the transmission element into more or less large sensing distances, which are then sensed by the force sensor and converted into correspondingly large sensor signals.

[0014] As a result, not only are significantly stronger sensor signals observed at the output of the force sensor compared to the state of the art, but pronounced gradients—i.e., temporal changes in the sensor signal—can also be detected. This allows the control unit to react particularly sensitively to even the smallest force increases and correspondingly pronounced increases in the associated sensor signal, interpreting them as a pinching event. These are the key advantages.

[0015] In one possible embodiment of the invention, the sensing element essentially consists of the bending element and the transmission element. The force-induced deformation of the sensing element generally corresponds to a flexible deflection or bending of the bending element, preferably proportional to the force. This means that a bending path associated with the deflection or bending of the bending element generally depends proportionally on the force acting on the sensing element. This force is provided by the electric motor drive or corresponds to the force flow between the wing and the body. In any case, the bending path of the bending element is translated into the comparatively increased sensing path with the aid of the transmission element.This means that the slight bending travel of the bending element is mechanically amplified by the transmission element, so that the scanning travel is observed at the output side of the transmission element, which is more or less significantly increased compared to the bending travel. This increased scanning travel is then recorded by the force sensor and corresponds to amplified sensor signals, compared to the situation where the force sensor would directly detect the only slight deflection of the bending element.

[0016] For this purpose, the bending element is usually connected to a transmission lever as part of the electric motor drive. For example, the bending element can be located at an end of the transmission lever remote from the axis as part of the electric motor drive. In this case, the transmission lever is part of the electric motor drive. The transmission lever is usually directly or indirectly actuated to pivot about its axis of rotation by means of an electric motor. This means that the electric motor drive is usually equipped with at least the aforementioned electric motor and, if necessary, gears, which in turn actuate the transmission lever to pivot relative to its axis of rotation.Since the transmission lever also meshes with a rack acting on the wing on its short lever arm, it becomes clear that the transmission lever as a whole is arranged in the power flow between the electric motor drive and the wing.

[0017] This is because the rack in question is generally rotatably connected to the body. The electric motor drive can be located inside the corresponding leaf or the door leaf in the case of a motor vehicle door. As soon as the electric motor drive performs rotary movements of its electric motor, these are transmitted via any intermediate gears to the transmission lever and finally to the rack, which in turn ensures the desired rotary movements of the leaf relative to the body. This is because the electric motor drive moves along the rack. This results in a pivoting movement of the leaf receiving the drive. Since the electric motor drive is rotatably supported on the body via the rack, the force sensor unit arranged on the transmission lever is not only in the force flow between the electric motor drive and the leaf, but also in the force flow between the leaf and the body.

[0018] As already explained, the transmission lever's short lever arm meshes with the rack acting on the wing's blade at its opposite axis of rotation. The transmission lever's long lever arm has a bending element at its end, which in turn is connected to a stationary bearing at its free end. However, it is also possible for the transmission lever to be disc-shaped overall and equipped with a sensing element on its circumference. As soon as the transmission lever is rotated about its axis of rotation with the help of the electric motor drive, the short lever arm of the transmission lever, with its teeth arranged there, ensures that the rack acting on the wing performs a more or less pronounced linear movement, or that the electric motor drive performs the aforementioned linear movement relative to the rack rotatably connected to the body.As a result, the wing is pivoted relative to the body, as will be explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiment. On the long lever arm, however, the bending element connected to the stationary bearing in the wing is deformed and completes the bending path already mentioned.

[0019] Alternatively, the interposed spring causes a relative movement between the transmission lever and the transmission element or transmission lever, the magnitude of which is proportional to the applied force. This relative movement between the transmission lever and the transmission lever can be detected and evaluated using the sensing element.

[0020] However, it is also possible to connect one end of the transmission lever to the flexure element in the area of ​​the previously described stationary bearing. The free end of the transmission lever, in contrast, travels the scanning path recorded by the force sensor. Since the flexure element is implemented at the end of the long lever arm of the transmission lever, and the bending movement of the flexure element is translated into the significantly larger scanning path with the help of the transmission lever, this explains why the sensor signals are overall amplified compared to the case where the force sensor directly scans the bending path of the flexure element. This has the positive effects already described. These are the main advantages.

[0021] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment; in the drawings: Fig. 1a motor vehicle flap arrangement according to the invention in the form of a motor vehicle door arrangement in an overview, Fig. 2 a detailed view of the electric motor drive for the wing of the motor vehicle flap arrangement according to Fig. 1 , Fig. 3 the force sensor unit in conjunction with the associated transmission lever in detail, Fig. 4 a modified embodiment of the subject matter of the invention in installation situation and Fig. 5 Individual parts after the Fig. 4 .

[0022] The figures show a motor vehicle flap arrangement, which, according to the Fig. 1It is a motor vehicle door arrangement with a leaf 1. The leaf 1 is designed in the exemplary embodiment as a motor vehicle door leaf 1 and is connected to a body 2. This may be in the area of ​​an A-pillar of the body 2 in the example case, and in a pivoting manner. For this purpose, a pivoting hinge 3 is implemented, with the aid of which the leaf or motor vehicle door leaf 1 can Fig. 1 indicated travel s relative to the body 2.

[0023] In detail, the wing 1 or the corresponding vehicle door can be moved back and forth between an "open" and "closed" position. Fig. 1 For example, the open position of the wing or motor vehicle door wing 1 is shown in solid lines, whereas the dash-dotted representation corresponds to the closed position of the wing or door wing 1.

[0024] In order to achieve the described pivoting movement of the wing 1 and in particular a closing movement from the position shown in the Fig. 1 In order to realize the pivoting of the door leaf from the open position shown in solid lines to the closed position shown in dotted lines relative to the body 2, an electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 is implemented. The electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 is arranged in the exemplary embodiment inside the leaf or motor vehicle door leaf 1. A force generated by the electric motor drive 4 to 7 for pivoting the leaf or motor vehicle door leaf 1 is then diverted to a connecting element 8, which in the exemplary embodiment according to the Figures 1 to 3 is a rack 8, while the embodiment according to the Figures 4 and 5with a connecting rod. The connecting element is rotatably connected to the body 2 in the area of ​​the rotary hinge 3 and is supported against the body 2. Since the electric motor drive 4 to 7 is located inside the wing 1, the rotary movements of an electric motor 4 as a component of the electric motor drive 4 to 7 are transmitted to the wing 1 with the interposition of the connecting element or the rack 8, so that the Fig. 1 indicated pivoting movements with respect to its rotary hinge 3 along the adjustment path s.

[0025] This is achieved in detail by using the electric motor 4 to set an output worm 5 on its output shaft in rotation. The output worm 5 in turn sets a pinion 6 in indicated rotations about an axis A. The rotations of the pinion 6 about its axis A are transmitted to a transmission lever 7 realized on the output side of the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7. Based on the Fig. 3 It can be seen that a rotation of the transmission lever 7 generated by means of the electric motor 4 corresponds to the fact that the axis A moves essentially linearly or arcuately along the connecting element or the rack 8, because the connecting element or the rack 8 is rotatably connected with one end to the rotary hinge 3 and thus to the body 2. In the variant according to the Figures 4 and 5A rotation of the transmission lever 7 results in the connecting rod 8, which is connected at the end to a transmission lever or a transmission element 10 to be described in more detail below, ultimately acting on the door leaf or leaf 1.

[0026] The Fig. 3 The indicated and thus generated linear movements or arcuate movements of the axis A and consequently of the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 as a whole now lead to the wing 1 being pivoted relative to the rotary hinge 3. This is because the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 is connected to the wing 1, so that the wing 1 is, as it were, carried along as a result of the movement of the axis A. In this case, not only the wing 1 is pivoted relative to the rotary joint 3, but also the connecting element or the rack 8, which is also connected to the body 2 in a rotary joint in the area of ​​the rotary joint 3.

[0027] Based on the Fig. 3 It can be seen that the transmission lever 7, on its short lever arm H 1 compared to the axis A, meshes with the connecting element or rack 8 acting on the wing 1. In contrast, the transmission lever 7, on its long lever arm H 2, is equipped with a bending element 9 at its end. The bending element 9, together with a transmission lever 10 designed as a transmission lever 10, defines a total of a probe element 9, 10. The bending element 9, in turn, is connected with its free end to a stationary bearing 11.

[0028] The basic structure of the motor vehicle flap assembly or motor vehicle door assembly according to the exemplary embodiment also includes a force sensor unit 9, 10, 12, 13. The force sensor unit 9, 10, 12, 13 is arranged in the force flow between the wing 1 and the body 2 or between the wing 1 and the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7. Since the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 is in turn supported on the body 2 via the connecting element or the rack 8, it is clear that the force sensor unit 9, 10, 12, 13 is also placed in the force flow between the wing 1 and the body 2.

[0029] The force sensor unit 9, 10, 12, 13 is equipped with the transmission element or transmission lever 10, which amplifies its sensor signals, as already mentioned. Furthermore, the force sensor unit 9, 10, 12, 13 is largely constructed in two parts. In fact, the force sensor unit 9, 10, 12, 13 essentially consists of the probe element 9, 10 and a stationary force sensor 12. The force sensor 12 is a sensor with the aid of which Fig. 3 indicated pivoting movements of the transmission element or transmission lever 10 relative to the force sensor 12 are detected.

[0030] In the context of the exemplary embodiment, the force sensor 12 is designed as a Hall sensor 12. A Hall sensor is a current-carrying semiconductor sensor, at which a voltage is generated on the output side, depending on how a magnetic flux oriented perpendicular to the Hall sensor 12 changes. For this purpose, according to the exemplary embodiment, a magnet 13 is arranged at the end of the transmission element or transmission lever 10, opposite the Hall sensor 12. If the bending element 9 deforms or bends, this leads, according to the invention, to the transmission element or transmission lever 10 generating an increased pivoting movement in the region of the magnet 13 provided at the end, as shown in the Fig. 3indicated by corresponding arrows. As a result, the Hall sensor 12 detects a changing magnetic flux, which is largely proportional to the force F acting on the transmission lever 7 by means of the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7. This force F leads to a corresponding counterforce opposite the axis A on the stationary bearing 11, which is indicated there.

[0031] Ultimately, with the help of the electric motor 4, a torque is generated with respect to the axis A, taking into account the short lever arm H 1 and, on the other hand, a larger torque is generated on the long lever arm H 2. The short lever arm H 1 and the associated torque act on the connecting element or the rack 8 or the rod 8 and consequently the wing 1 via the long lever arm H 2. In this way, the travel s relative to the body 2 is completed. In addition, the torque on the long lever arm H 2 causes the bending element 9 as a component of the sensing element 9, 10 to be deformed, as is the case with the Fig. 3 In fact, the version according to the Figures 1 to 3 in the case of the bending element 9 by a web-like extension of the transmission lever 7 at its end remote from the axis or at its long lever arm H 2 , namely at the end.

[0032] Stops 14 on both sides ensure that the bending element 9 is only elastically deformed when a force or moment is applied in relation to the axis A. The deformations of the bending element 9 correspond to a Fig. 3 indicated minimum bending travel b. This minimum bending travel b is mechanically translated with the aid of the transmission element or transmission lever 10 into a scanning travel T that is many times greater. Since the transmission lever 10 consequently completes the scanning travel T at the end, this also applies to the magnet 13 provided at the end of the transmission lever 10. This then leads to a correspondingly amplified sensor signal at the Hall sensor 12 compared to the situation in which the force sensor or Hall sensor 12 would directly measure the bending travel b of the bending element 9.

[0033] In any case, the force sensor 12 detects a spring-elastic force-induced deformation of the probe element 9, 10 as its travel T. This force-induced deformation of the probe element 9, 10 corresponds to a force-proportional flexible deflection of the bending element 9, which consequently completes the bending path b. The bending path b is then translated into the increased travel T by means of the transmission element or transmission lever 10, as shown in the Fig. 3 is indicated schematically.

[0034] For this purpose, the bending element 9 is arranged at the end of the transmission lever 7 remote from the axis. Since the transmission lever 7 is a component of the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7, a force F exerted by the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 on the wing 1 can be measured using the transmission lever 7 as described. For this purpose, the transmission lever 7 is directly or indirectly actuated to pivot about its rotational axis A by the electric motor 4.

[0035] The transmission element or transmission lever 10 is connected at one end to the bending element 9 in the area of ​​the stationary bearing 11. In contrast, the free end of the transmission lever 10 travels the scanning path T recorded by the force sensor 12. For this purpose, the free end of the transmission lever 10 is equipped with the magnet 13. The stationary bearing 11 is formed inside or on the wing 1.

[0036] Of course, it is within the scope of the invention to measure the travel T not only inductively using the Hall sensor 12 in conjunction with the magnet 13 provided at the end of the transmission lever 10, but other sensor devices for travel measurement can also be used at this point. For example, a rotary potentiometer can be used to measure resistance. Furthermore, it is conceivable for the transmission lever 10 to be equipped with, for example, a reflective surface at its end, the pivoting movements of which along the travel T are scanned by a light source belonging to the optoelectronic sensor, and, after reflection, are detected by a receiver belonging to the sensor.

[0037] The sensor signals recorded by the force sensor 12 as part of the force sensor unit 9, 10, 12, 13 are transmitted by a Fig. 3indicated control unit 15. Since the sensor signals of the force sensor 12 are significantly amplified compared to the situation in which the force sensor 12 does not scan the scanning path T of the magnet 13, but rather the bending path b of the bending element 9, amplified sensor signals are received overall by the control unit 15. These amplified sensor signals can be evaluated particularly easily and precisely with regard to temporal gradients, thus enabling sensitive detection of any pinching, as already described in the introduction.

[0038] The same conditions and effects are evident in the alternative embodiment according to the Figures 4 and 5. In this case, too, an electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 is implemented, which, with the aid of an electric motor 4, transmits rotations of its output worm 5 to a pinion 6 and finally to the transmission lever 7, which in this way rotates about its axis A and forms the previously mentioned lever arms H 1 and H 2. As already described, a movement generated by the electric motor drive 4, 5, 6, 7 ensures that the bending element or spring element 9, which in this case is interposed between the transmission lever 7 and the transmission element or transmission lever 10, is deformed, taking into account the Fig. 5 This minimum bending path b is mechanically translated by means of the translation element 10 into the scanning path T, which is many times as large and which is also in the Fig. 5 is indicated.

[0039] In the example according to the Figures 4 and5The transmission lever 7 is disc-shaped and equipped with a magnet 13 on its periphery. Force-induced movements of the magnet 13 around the axis A are detected by means of the sensor 12 connected to the transmission element 10 opposite the magnet 13 and transmitted to the control unit 15 (not shown). In fact, the design is such that rotational movements of the electric motor 4 lead to a rotation of the transmission lever 7, which, with the interposition of the spring or flexural element 9 and taking its deformation into account, is ultimately transmitted to the transmission element 10, to which the rod or connecting element 8 to the wing 1 is connected on the output side. This means that in this case, a relative angle with respect to the axis A is detected between the transmission lever 7 and the transmission element or transmission lever 10 through the combined effect of the magnet 13 and the Hall sensor 12.If two Hall sensors 12 are implemented at this point, both the position of the transmission lever 10 and thus of the wing 1 and the force acting on the wing 1 can be measured simultaneously. List of reference symbols:

[0040] 1Wing / motor vehicle door leaf 2Body 3Pivot hinge / swivel joint 4Electric motor 4, 5, 6, 7Electric motor drive 5Output worm 6Pinion 7Transmission lever 8Connecting element / rack 9Bending element 9, 10Probe element 9, 10, 12, 13Force sensor unit 10Transmission element / transmission lever 11Stationary bearing 12Force sensor / Hall sensor 13Magnet 14Stops on both sides 15Control unit AAxis FForce H 1 Lever arm H 2 Long lever arm TProbe travel bBending travel

Claims

1. Motor vehicle flap arrangement, in particular motor vehicle door arrangement, comprising a leaf (1) pivotable relative to a vehicle body (2), further comprising an electric motor drive (4, 5, 6, 7) for the leaf (1), and comprising a force sensor unit (9, 10, 12, 13) arranged in the force flow between the leaf (1) and the vehicle body (2), the sensor signals of which are evaluated by a control unit (15), characterized in that the force sensor unit (9, 10, 12, 13) is equipped with a mechanical transmission element (10) which amplifies its sensor signals and, largely in two parts, with a probe element (9, 10) containing the transmission element (10) and a force sensor (12), and the force sensor (12) detects a spring-elastic force-induced deformation of the probe element (9, 10) as its probe path (T).

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the probe element (9, 10) is substantially composed of a bending element (9) and the transmission element (10).

3. Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the force-induced deformation of the probe element (9, 10) corresponds to a preferably force-proportional flexible deflection or bending of the bending element (9), the bending path (b) of which is transmitted by means of the transmission element (10) into the probe path (T), which is enlarged in comparison.

4. Arrangement according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the bending element (9) is connected to an actuating lever (7) as a component of the electric motor drive (4, 5, 6, 7).

5. Arrangement according to claim 4, characterized in that the actuating lever (7) is directly or indirectly acted on to pivot about its axis of rotation (A) by means of an electric motor (4).

6. Arrangement according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the actuating lever (7) interacts, on its short lever arm (H1) or its long lever arm (H2), with a connecting element (8) acting on the leaf (1).

7. Arrangement according to any of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the actuating lever (7) has, at the end of its long lever arm (H2), the bending element (9) connected with its free end to a stationary bearing (11).

8. Arrangement according to claim 7, characterized in that the transmission element (10) is designed as a transmission lever (10) which is connected with one end in the region of the stationary bearing (11) to the bending element (9), while its free end completes the probe path (T) recorded by the force sensor (12).