Actuator device for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to an actuator device for a motor vehicle, in particular for a roll stabilizer of a motor vehicle, having a housing (6) and an output element (9) which is rotatably mounted about a rotational axis (11) relative to the housing. The output element (9) is paired with a seal (12) for sealing off the interior of the housing (6) from the outer surroundings. The invention is characterized in that the output element (9) is paired with an annular inner seal element (20), and the housing (6) is paired with an annular outer seal element (30). The seal elements (20, 30) overlap in some regions in an axial projection and contact each other, thereby forming at least one circumferential seal region (33a, 33b, 33c, 34a, 34b; 35a, 35b, 35c, 36).

Description

[0001] Actuator device for a motor vehicle

[0002] The invention relates to an actuator device for a motor vehicle, in particular for a roll stabilizer of a motor vehicle, according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a seal for an actuator device for a motor vehicle according to claim 17.

[0003] In automotive engineering, particularly chassis technology, it is known that the rolling or roll behavior of motor vehicles can be influenced by means of so-called roll stabilizers. Their basic design consists of a C-shaped torsion bar spring, which is mounted in the center of the vehicle body so that it can rotate relative to the vehicle body. The outer, opposite ends of the springs are each coupled to a wheel suspension by means of coupling elements, so-called pendulum supports. This design ensures that the vehicle body not only compresses on the outside when cornering (due to centrifugal force), but also slightly lowers the inside wheel. Roll stabilizers improve the vehicle's directional stability and reduce the lateral inclination of the vehicle body (roll), making cornering safer and more comfortable.

[0004] To further increase vehicle stability and driving comfort, it is known to make such roll stabilizers adjustable. The roll stabilizer then comprises an actuator device and is divided, for example, into two stabilizer sections that can be rotated relative to one another about a rotational axis with the aid of the actuator device. By rotating the stabilizer sections relative to one another, a rolling movement of the vehicle body is deliberately generated or a rolling movement of the vehicle body caused by external influences is deliberately counteracted. Adjustable roll stabilizers are known from the prior art whose actuator device has an electric motor that is drive-connected to a mechanical transmission, in particular in the form of a multi-stage planetary gear, to achieve suitable speeds or torques. In this context, reference is generally made to DE 10 2016 219 399 A1 as an example.Actuator devices used in vehicles can be exposed to damp weather conditions such as rain or general wetness during operation. For a mechatronic system such as an actuator device, there is a risk that moisture will penetrate the housing of the actuator device and impair the function of components or permanently damage them. Accordingly, a reliable and durable seal between the interior of the housing and the external environment of the actuator device is of great importance. An actuator device with a seal for sealing the interior of the housing with features of the preamble of claim 1 is known from DE 10 2020 208 851 A1.

[0005] In actuator devices known from the prior art, in operational use – influenced by mechanical loads, the installation situation, and the design of the actuator device (usually a multi-stage planetary gear driven by an electric motor with varying speeds, varying torques, and frequent reversals of rotational direction) – in addition to the pure rotation of the output element about the rotational axis, further movements of the output element relative to the housing also occur. These can be translational movements (displacements in the axial direction, displacements in the radial direction, for example, caused by transverse forces acting on the actuator device as a whole) and / or rotational movements (rotation about an axis perpendicular to the rotational axis, for example, caused by bending).

[0006] All movements of the output element that deviate from its (pure) rotation around the rotational axis have in common that they change the geometric relationships, particularly the distances between the output element and the housing. In sealing concepts such as those known from the prior art, in which a radial shaft seal is used as the main sealing device, whose sealing lips seal in the radial direction against a jacket-shaped running surface of the output element, these movements can easily lead to seal leaks, which is disadvantageous.It is an object of the present invention to provide an actuator device for a motor vehicle of the type mentioned above that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages. In particular, an actuator device is to be provided whose tightness can be ensured even during operational movements of the output element that deviate from pure rotation about the rotation axis, thus exhibiting greater robustness. In addition, a corresponding seal is to be provided.

[0007] The object is initially achieved by an actuator device according to the features of claim 1. This is an actuator device for a motor vehicle, in particular for a roll stabilizer of a motor vehicle, comprising a housing and an output element which is mounted rotatably about a rotation axis relative thereto, which output element is particularly suitable for setting a stabilizer section of the roll stabilizer. A seal for sealing an interior of the housing from an external environment is assigned to the output element. According to the invention, the actuator device is characterized in that an annular inner sealing element is assigned to the output element and an annular outer sealing element is assigned to the housing, wherein the sealing elements overlap in regions in an axial projection and touch to form at least one circumferential sealing region.

[0008] The invention is based on the finding that actuator devices known from the prior art are conventionally equipped with a seal on the output element, designed as a radial shaft seal. To achieve the desired seal, such seals require precise concentricity between the shaft (output element) and the housing. Accordingly, the seal cannot react, or can only react to a limited extent, external forces or torque influences that cause deformation between the output element and the housing. Despite the preload present in the sealing system, leakage can easily occur, which in turn can lead to destruction or at least a significant impairment of the service life of the actuator device.According to the invention, an axially acting seal is created by assigning annular sealing elements to the output element and the housing, which seals overlap in some areas in an axial projection and contact to form at least one circumferential sealing area. The at least one circumferential sealing area lies between the sealing elements when viewed in the axial direction. The axial sealing principle offers the advantage that the desired seal can be ensured even when the output element assumes an eccentric position relative to the housing—i.e., a position deviating from the centric position. The actuator device thus exhibits improved concentric insensitivity with regard to its sealing system. The design allows for simple assembly of the seal with low weight.

[0009] According to a preferred embodiment of the actuator device, its seal is designed such that the sealing elements (of the output element and the housing) exert an axially acting sealing force on each other in the circumferential sealing area. This can be achieved in various ways.

[0010] Advantageously, one of the sealing elements has at least one annular sealing surface extending in the radial direction. This design allows the sealing area resulting from the contact between the two sealing elements to change its position at least within certain limits, thus compensating for certain positioning inaccuracies of the output element.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment of the actuator device, the sealing force is based on a preload applied by a partial deformation of one of the sealing elements. In other words, in the installed state, one of the sealing elements is at least partially deformed, with the resulting restoring force preloading the sealing system.

[0012] According to the invention, the sealing elements contact each other in at least one circumferential sealing area. To achieve an increased sealing effect, it is advantageous for the sealing elements to contact each other in several circumferential sealing areas. The presence of multiple sealing areas makes it difficult for a medium to enter, since a medium in question must overcome not just one but several of the sealing areas to enter the interior of the housing.

[0013] According to a preferred embodiment of the actuator device, either the outer sealing element or the inner sealing element forms a circumferential groove into which the other sealing element, i.e. either the inner sealing element or the outer sealing element, partially projects radially, in particular engages. In this way, a seal is created using structurally simple means that can act on multiple sides and / or sealing areas, whereby various advantages can be achieved in a manner to be explained. The presence of a groove into which the other sealing element partially projects radially, in particular engages, creates a labyrinth seal in a structurally simple manner that can effectively prevent media ingress. Different designs of this principle are conceivable.

[0014] According to a preferred embodiment, the sealing element forming the circumferential groove has two axially spaced, parallel sealing surfaces. Accordingly, the respective "other sealing element" partially protrudes radially into a region of the groove located between the parallel sealing surfaces. It is understood that this type of seal design can – at least within certain limits – allow radial mobility of one sealing element relative to the other sealing element.

[0015] An increased sealing effect can be achieved by having the sealing element forming the circumferential groove contact the other sealing element, i.e., the sealing element partially extending into the circumferential groove, on both sides axially, forming multiple sealing areas. The presence of multiple sealing areas makes media penetration more difficult. Furthermore, axial contact of the sealing element on both sides within the sealing element forming the groove advantageously ensures force equalization, ideally canceling out the forces acting in the axial direction, so that the sealing elements are force-free relative to the housing or the output element, despite any preload prevailing in the sealing system.With regard to the further design of a sealing element with a circumferential groove, an advantageous development of the invention provides that a sealing element comprises two axially adjacent annular bodies arranged coaxially with respect to the rotational axis, which are shaped such that an annular space forming the circumferential groove is formed between them. Accordingly, the sealing element in question could be designed in two parts, namely, consisting of two annular bodies.

[0016] In order to achieve easy assembly, an advantageous development of the actuator device provides that the two annular bodies forming a sealing element are advantageously connected to one another, in particular by being connected to one another in a form-fitting and / or force-fitting manner, particularly preferably by being clipped to one another.

[0017] Simple and cost-effective manufacturing can be achieved if the ring bodies are identical parts or at least similar parts that are mirror-inverted to each other with respect to a radial parting plane.

[0018] The sealing elements used in the invention can be designed differently and made of different materials to achieve their function. A preferred development of the actuator device provides that the sealing element, which is partially accommodated in the circumferential groove, is made of an elastic material, preferably an elastomeric plastic.

[0019] Advantageously, the sealing element which is partially received in the circumferential groove has a wave-shaped profile in sections with respect to its radial extent, in particular in order to form a circumferential sealing area with each wave crest, in particular in the contact area with the other sealing element.

[0020] Advantageously, approximately equal numbers of circumferential sealing zones are provided axially on both sides of the sealing element, which is partially accommodated in the circumferential groove. Such a design can be achieved in particular if the corresponding sealing element has a wave-like shape with respect to its radial extension, as described above. With approximately equal numbers of sealing zones axially on both sides, a plurality of sealing zones and a force balance in the axial direction can be advantageously achieved, whereby the sealing forces acting between the sealing elements cancel each other out and, accordingly, no reaction forces act on the housing or the output element.

[0021] Alternatively or in addition to a wave-shaped profile, at least one preferably circumferential projection can be formed on the sealing element partially accommodated in the circumferential groove. One or more such projections can serve, for example, to form a circumferential sealing area. In this case, the circumferential projection contacts the sealing element forming the groove. With a corresponding design of the projection, it is conceivable that it is prestressed in the installed state—due to deformation—in order to apply the required sealing force.

[0022] The present invention is used in an actuator device for a motor vehicle, in particular for a roll stabilizer of a motor vehicle. According to a preferred embodiment of the actuator device, the housing has a cylindrical basic shape and accommodates a drive unit, in particular comprising an electric motor and a multi-stage planetary gear, which can be brought into driving connection with the output element.

[0023] The object mentioned at the outset is further achieved by a seal according to the features of claim 17. This is a seal for an actuator device for a motor vehicle, in particular for an actuator device of the type described above. According to the invention, the seal has: an annular outer sealing element on the housing side and an annular inner sealing element on the output side, wherein the sealing elements are arranged coaxially with respect to a rotational axis of an output element of the actuator device, overlap in some areas in an axial projection and contact to form at least one circumferential sealing area. The seal according to the invention advantageously has further features that have already been described in connection with the actuator device. Reference is therefore made to the corresponding explanations to avoid repetition. The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing.This also results in further design possibilities and advantageous effects of the invention. The drawing shows:

[0024] Fig. 1 shows an adjustable roll stabilizer in a schematic perspective view,

[0025] Fig. 2 shows an actuator device of an adjustable roll stabilizer in a simplified sectional view,

[0026] Fig. 3 shows a seal according to an embodiment of the invention in partial section,

[0027] Fig. 4 shows part of the seal from Fig. 3 in axial plan view,

[0028] Fig. 5 shows a seal according to a further embodiment of the invention in a partial sectional view.

[0029] Figure 1 shows a schematic, perspective view of a known, adjustable roll stabilizer 1. The adjustable roll stabilizer 1 is part of a chassis of a motor vehicle (not shown in full). The adjustable roll stabilizer 1 is part of an axle of the motor vehicle; for example, a front axle and / or rear axle of the motor vehicle can be equipped with the adjustable roll stabilizer.

[0030] As Figure 1 shows, a left wheel 4a and a right wheel 4b arranged on the opposite side of the vehicle are each connected to a vehicle body (not shown) via a wheel suspension 5a and 5b, respectively. Wheel 4a and wheel suspension 5a, or wheel 4b and wheel suspension 5b, thus each form a unit and are each coupled to one end of an associated stabilizer section 3a and 3b, respectively, of the adjustable roll stabilizer 1. The left stabilizer section 3a and the right stabilizer section 3b are connected to one another in the center of the vehicle via an actuator device 2, depicted as a substantially cylindrical body.

[0031] In a manner known per se, the adjustable roll stabilizer 1 is mounted relative to the vehicle body so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis 11. The actuator device 2, shown in Figure 1 in a simplified manner as a cylindrical body, comprises a housing that is essentially rotationally symmetrical with respect to the rotational axis 11, in which an electric motor and a multi-stage planetary gear drive-connected thereto are arranged. The stabilizer sections 3a and 3b are drive-connected to one another via the electric motor and the multi-stage planetary gear drive. When the electric motor is stationary, the two stabilizer sections 3a, 3b are rigidly connected to one another via the stationary electric motor and the multi-stage planetary gear drive-connected thereto. By operating the electric motor, the stabilizer sections 3a, 3b can be rotated relative to one another about the rotational axis 11, depending on the direction of rotation of the electric motor.The roll stabilizer 1 can be adjusted in a known manner.

[0032] Figure 2 shows a simplified sectional view of an actuator device 2, which can be part of an adjustable roll stabilizer such as that shown in Figure 1. The actuator device 2 comprises a substantially cylindrical housing 6 that extends concentrically to a rotation axis 11. A left stabilizer section 3a and a right stabilizer section 3b are arranged at each end, the left stabilizer section 3a being connected to the housing 6 in a rotationally fixed manner, while the right stabilizer section 3b is rotatably mounted relative to the housing. For this purpose, the right stabilizer section 3b is fastened to an output element 9, for example, welded or screwed thereto, which is mounted relative to the housing 6 via a rolling bearing 10 so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis 11.

[0033] Furthermore, an electric motor 7 and a multi-stage, in this case three-stage, planetary gear 8 are arranged in the housing 6 of the actuator device 2. The electric motor 7 is drive-connected to the three-stage planetary gear 8 and, via a motor output shaft (not further designated), drives a sun gear of the three-stage planetary gear 8 assigned to the first planetary stage. The three-stage planetary gear 8 translates an input speed provided by the electric motor 7 to a much lower output speed at the output element 9, which is a planet carrier of the third stage of the three-stage planetary gear 8—or at least is drive-connected to it.From the described structure it can be seen that, depending on the operating state of the electric motor 7, the stabilizer sections 3a and 3b can be rotated relative to one another about the rotation axis 11 in order to adjust a roll stabilizer equipped with the actuator device 2 (cf. Fig. 1).

[0034] During operation of the vehicle equipped with it, the actuator device 2 may be exposed to damp weather conditions such as rain or general wetness. For a mechanotric system such as the actuator device 2, there is then a risk that moisture will penetrate the housing 6 of the actuator device 2 and impair the function of components and / or permanently damage them. Accordingly, a reliable and durable seal between an interior 24 of the housing 6 and an external environment 25 of the actuator device 2 is of great importance for a long service life and reliable function of the actuator device 2. For this purpose, the actuator device 2 is equipped with a seal 12.

[0035] The seal 12, indicated in Figure 2 by the reference numeral 12 but not shown in detail, seals the interior 24 of the actuator device 2 from the external environment 25. The seal 12—only schematically indicated in Figure 2—is located axially outside the rolling bearing 10 and extends circumferentially around the rotational axis 11 in an annular space extending between the output element 9 and the housing 6.

[0036] Figures 3 and 4 show a seal 12 according to an embodiment of the invention in a partial section (Fig. 3) along the axis of rotation 11 and in a partial representation in an axial plan view (Fig. 4). Figure 5 shows a further (different) embodiment of a seal 12, again in a partial section along the axis of rotation 11. The seal 12 of an actuator device according to a first embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 4 essentially consists of two components. These are an annular inner sealing element 20 assigned to the output element 9 and an annular outer sealing element 30 assigned to the housing 6. In the embodiment shown, the outer sealing element 30 consists of two annular bodies 31 and 32. The two annular bodies 31 and 32 are axially adjacent and arranged coaxially with respect to the axis of rotation 11.As indicated in the drawing, the two annular bodies 31 and 32 are connected to one another, namely clipped together. The two annular bodies 31 and 32 are fundamentally identical in structure (here: similar parts) and are mirror-inverted relative to one another with respect to a radial parting plane of the sealing element 30. In the assembled state shown, the outer sealing element 30 forms a circumferential groove 39 on an inwardly facing circumferential projection. The groove 39 is thus located between a circumferential projection projecting inward from the annular body 31 and a circumferential projection projecting inward from the annular body 32 and is bounded on the outside (outer circumference) by the outer circumferential surface of the sealing element 30.

[0037] The sealing element 30 forming the circumferential groove 39 has two axially spaced, parallel, and facing sealing surfaces 37, 38. To reinforce the circumferential groove 39, a plurality of webs 13 are formed on the sealing element 30. As indicated in Fig. 4, these webs are distributed equiangularly over the circumference of the sealing element 30 and each extend radially from a radially outer end of the second annular body 32 (or equally of the first annular body 31, which is not visible in Fig. 4 because it is concealed) to a radially inner edge region of the second annular body 32, thus reinforcing the two projections on the first annular body 31 and the second annular body 32 forming the circumferential groove 39. The webs 13 have an axial depth that decreases from the radially outer region to the radially inner region (as can be seen in Fig. 3).

[0038] The outer sealing element 30, formed from the first annular body 31 and the second annular body 32, is made of plastic. The outer sealing element 30 rests against the housing 6 at its outer periphery; in particular, it is pressed into the housing 6 in the axial direction. A chamfer, as shown, at the axial ends of the outer sealing element 30 (or alternatively, a rounded portion) facilitates its insertion before the pressing-in process.

[0039] The annular inner sealing element 20 is made of an elastomeric plastic material and has an approximately T-shape in the section shown in Figure 3. The inner sealing element 20 is pressed onto the output element 9 along a radially inner section and rests circumferentially against it. In the axially central region of the inner sealing element 20, a diaphragm 21 projects radially outward and extends circumferentially around the axis of rotation 11. With regard to its radial extent, the diaphragm has a wave-like profile in that the material of the diaphragm 21 rises and falls in a wave-like manner in the axial direction with respect to a radial center plane thereof. The diaphragm 21 projects radially into the circumferential groove 29 of the outer sealing element 30 and partially fills it. At each wave crest of the membrane 21 pointing towards the annular body 31, the membrane 21 contacts the annular body 31 in order to form a respective circumferential sealing area 33a, 33b, 33c.At each wave crest of the membrane 21 facing the annular body 32, the membrane 21 contacts the annular body 32 in order to form a circumferential sealing area 34a, 34b.

[0040] From the above explanation it can be seen that the inner sealing element 20 and the outer sealing element 30 overlap in an axial projection - namely in the groove region of the circumferential groove 39 - and, according to the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 3, touch in a total of five circumferential sealing regions 33a, 33b, 33c, 34a, 34b. In the state shown, the annular inner sealing element 20 is in a deformed state, particularly in the region of the membrane 21 protruding into the circumferential groove 39, which is based on the fact that an axial width of the circumferential groove 39 is at least slightly smaller than an axial extension of the membrane 21 in its undeformed state - not shown here - outside the groove 39, which axially compresses the membrane 21 at the opposite wave crests.In the installed state shown, the membrane 21 of the inner sealing element 20 is correspondingly prestressed, whereby a sealing force acting in the axial direction is exerted on the five circumferential sealing areas 33a, 33b, 33c and 34a, 34b against the annular sealing surfaces 37, 38 of the first annular body 31 and the second annular body 32, respectively.

[0041] The five circumferential sealing areas 33a, 33b, 33c, 34a, 34b are located on axially opposite sides of the diaphragm 21 of the inner sealing element 20. The sealing forces of the sealing areas 33a, 33b, 33c, acting in opposite directions in the axial direction, cancel each other out against the forces acting on the sealing areas 34a, 34b. Accordingly, the inner sealing element 20 and the outer sealing element 30 are free of axial reaction forces against each other, even though the seal 12 is in a preloaded state. The presence of the five sealing areas prevents media from entering the seal 12 at five different locations.

[0042] Since an actuator device according to the invention, equipped with a seal as described above, particularly in the application of an adjustable roll stabilizer for a motor vehicle, has only relatively small angles of rotation with respect to the output element 9, in particular only partial rotations of less than 45°, in particular less than 30°, only relatively small distances and speeds occur between the sealing partners involved in the sealing regions 33a, 33b, 33c and 34a, 34b formed in this way. The wave-shaped membrane 21 acts in a labyrinth-like manner in the circumferential groove 39 of the outer sealing element 30. A medium located at the groove entrance would have to overcome multiple sealing regions to reach the interior 24 of the housing 6 from the external environment 25.

[0043] Figure 5 shows a seal 12 that can be used in an actuator device according to a second embodiment of the invention. This seal 12 has a fundamentally comparable structure to the seal according to the first embodiment of the invention, which was already explained with reference to Figures 3 and 4. To avoid repetition, only the distinguishing features will be discussed below.

[0044] In the seal 12 according to the second embodiment, a membrane 22 protrudes outward in an axially central region of the inner sealing element 20. The membrane 22 also extends circumferentially around the rotation axis 11 and protrudes into a circumferential groove 39 formed by the outer sealing element 30. In this case, however, the membrane 22 is not wave-shaped (with respect to its radial extent), but rather extends in a straight line with respect to the radial direction away from the rotation axis 11. Four projections 23 are formed on the membrane 22, each extending circumferentially around the rotation axis 11 and protruding obliquely toward the first annular body 31. Each of the circumferential projections 23 contacts the sealing surface 37 formed on the first annular body 31 of the outer sealing element 30 in order to form a circumferential sealing area 35a, 35b, 35c per projection 23.On the side facing the second annular body 32 of the outer sealing element 30, the membrane 22 lies flat in order to form a circumferential sealing area 36 there as well.

[0045] In the installed state shown in Figure 5, the projections 23 are in a deformed state, which results from the fact that an axial width of the circumferential groove 39 is at least slightly smaller than an axial width of the diaphragm 22 in the non-installed state, i.e. outside the circumferential groove 39. The restoring forces of the four projections 23 caused by the deformation cause a sealing force acting in the axial direction to be exerted on the sealing areas 35a, 35b, 35c and 36. Since the diaphragm 22 is supported axially on both sides in the circumferential groove 39, the sealing forces to the first annular body 31 cancel out the sealing forces to the second annular body 32, whereby the seal 12 is free of axial forces between the inner sealing element 20 and the outer sealing element 30 despite the prestressed state.A rounded portion of the material of the first annular body 31 and the second annular body 32, indicated at the groove entrance, can help ensure that the material of the inner sealing element 20 remains free from damage even in the event of slight axial movements of the output element 9 relative to the housing 6. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5, as previously explained, the projections 23 formed on the membrane 22 protrude obliquely and exclusively toward the first annular body 31. It should be noted that according to a different embodiment, not shown in the drawing, it would be possible to provide the membrane 22 with projections on both sides, i.e. not only towards the first annular body 31, but also towards the second annular body 32, which then project obliquely towards the second annular body 32 and touch the sealing surface formed on the second annular body 32 in order to form circumferential sealing areas (corresponding to the sealing areas 35a, 35b, 35c).With respect to a radial plane passing through the membrane, this could be designed symmetrically in that there are the same number of projections of the same design on both sides of the membrane.

[0046] Overall, the actuator device according to the illustrated embodiments provides a housing sealing option that ensures reliable sealing of the actuator device throughout its service life, even under high mechanical loads—and the resulting translational and / or rotational position changes of the output element. The axial sealing principle allows for positional changes of the output element to be compensated, while the relatively simple design principle of the groove and diaphragm ensures easy manufacturing.

[0047] Reference number adjustable roll stabilizer

[0048] Actuator device a, 3b stabilizer section a, 4b wheel a, 5b wheel suspension

[0049] Housing

[0050] Electric motor multi-stage planetary gear

[0051] Output element 0 Rolling bearing 1 Rotation axis 2 Seal 3 Web 0 Inner sealing element 1 Diaphragm 2 Diaphragm 3 Projections 4 Interior 5 Outer environment 0 Outer sealing element 1 First ring body 2 Second ring body 3a..c Circumferential sealing area 4a.. b Circumferential sealing area 5a..c Circumferential sealing area 6 Circumferential sealing area 7 Sealing surface 8 Sealing surface 9 Circumferential groove

Claims

Patent claims 1. Actuator device (2) for a motor vehicle, in particular for a roll stabilizer (1) of a motor vehicle, comprising a housing (6) and a drive element (9) rotatably mounted thereon about an axis of rotation (11), wherein the drive element (9) is associated with a seal (12) for sealing an interior (24) of the housing (6) against an external environment (25), characterized in that the drive element (9) is associated with an annular inner sealing element (20) and the housing (6) with an annular outer sealing element (30), wherein the sealing elements (20, 30) overlap in an axial projection in certain areas and touch, forming at least one circumferential sealing area (33a, 33b, 33c, 34a, 34b; 35a, 35b, 35c, 36).

2. Actuator device (2) according to claim 1 , characterized in that the sealing elements (20, 30) in the circumferential sealing area (33a, 33b, 33c, 34a, 34b; 35a, 35b, 35c, 36) exert a sealing force acting in the axial direction on each other.

3. Actuator device (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that one of the sealing elements (30) has at least one annular sealing surface (37, 38) extending in a radial direction.

4. Actuator device (2) according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the sealing force is based on a preload applied by a partial deformation of one of the sealing elements (20).

5. Actuator device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sealing elements (20, 30) touch in several circumferential sealing areas (33a, 33b, 33c, 34a, 34b; 35a, 35b, 35c, 36).

6. Actuator device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that either the outer sealing element (30) or the inner sealing element forms a circumferential groove (39) into which the other sealing element (20), i.e. either the inner sealing element (20) or the outer sealing element, partially projects radially.

7. Actuator device (2) according to claim 6, characterized in that the sealing element (30) forming the circumferential groove (39) has two axially spaced, mutually parallel sealing surfaces (37, 38).

8. Actuator device (2) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the sealing element (30) forming the circumferential groove (39) axially contacts the other sealing element (20), i.e. the sealing element (20) which partially projects into the circumferential groove (39), forming several sealing areas (33a, 33b, 33c, 34a, 34b; 35a, 35b, 35c, 36) on both sides.

9. Actuator device (2) according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that a sealing element (30) comprises two axially adjacent ring bodies (31, 32) arranged coaxially with respect to the axis of rotation (11), which are shaped such that an annular space forming the circumferential groove (39) is created between them.

10. Actuator device (2) according to claim 9, characterized in that the ring bodies (31 , 32) are connected to each other, in particular by being connected to each other in a form-fit and / or force-fit manner, and especially preferably by being clipped together.

11. Actuator device (2) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the ring bodies (31 , 32) are identical parts which are oriented in a mirror image to each other with respect to a radial parting plane.

12. Actuator device (2) according to one of claims 6 to 11 , characterized in that the sealing element (20) partially received in the circumferential groove (39) is made of an elastic material, preferably an elastomeric plastic.

13. Actuator device (2) according to one of claims 6 to 12, characterized in that the sealing element partially received in the circumferential groove (39) telement (20) has a section-wise undulating course with respect to its radial extent, in particular to form a circumferential sealing area (33a, 33b, 33c, 34a, 34b) with each wave crest.

14. Actuator device (2) according to one of claims 6 to 13, characterized in that approximately the same number of circumferential sealing areas (33a, 33b, 33c, 34a, 34b) are provided axially on both sides of the sealing element (20) which is partially received in the circumferential groove (39).

15. Actuator device (2) according to one of claims 6 to 14, characterized in that at least one preferably circumferential projection (23) is formed on the sealing element (20) which is partially received in the circumferential groove (39).

16. Actuator device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (6) has a cylindrical basic shape and accommodates a drive unit comprising, in particular, an electric motor (7) and a multi-stage planetary gear (8), which can be brought into drive connection with the output element (9).

17. Seal (12) for an actuator device (2) for a motor vehicle, in particular for an actuator device (2) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a housing-side annular outer sealing element (30) and an output-side annular inner sealing element (20), wherein the sealing elements (20, 30) are arranged coaxially with respect to an axis of rotation (11) of an output element (9) of the actuator device (2), overlap in an axial projection in certain areas and contact each other to form at least one circumferential sealing area (33a, 33b, 33c, 34a, 34b; 35a, 35b, 35c, 36).

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