Motor vehicle drive device

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle drive device, which is equipped with at least one electromotive drive (3, 4) having a stator (3) and rotor (4). The stator (3) is arranged in a dry chamber (7) and the rotor (4) is arranged in a wet chamber (8) of a housing (9, 10, 11) made of plastic. Furthermore, the dry chamber (7) has, in addition to the stator (3), at least one electronic unit (9, 12, 13). According to the invention, the housing (9, 10, 11) is closed except for an inlet opening for a locking mechanism (1, 2).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Motor vehicle drive device

[0003] The invention relates to a motor vehicle drive device, having at least one electric motor drive with stator and rotor, wherein the stator is arranged in a dry space and the rotor is arranged in a wet space of a housing of the motor vehicle drive device made of plastic, and wherein the dry space has at least one electronic unit in addition to the stator.

[0004] A general problem with motor vehicle drive systems is that they are sometimes exposed to harsh environmental conditions, including dust, rain, and moisture. This is especially true for the so-called wet space of the housing of the motor vehicle drive system in question. This is essentially due to the fact that such motor vehicle drive systems are often fully or partially open, allowing dust or moisture to penetrate into the interior of the associated housing via the wet space created at this location.

[0005] In fact, the generic prior art according to DE 199 52 572 A1 deals with such a motor vehicle drive device, which is equipped with an electric motor drive in the form of a synchronous motor. The synchronous motor has a stator and a rotor. To protect the electrical components of the stator from moisture, a pot-shaped support is provided so that the stator is at least partially enclosed by the support in such a way that it can function as a partition between the wet and dry compartments. The partition runs in the air gap between the stator and the rotor. In addition, a control device with at least one magnetoresistive sensor in the form of a Hall element is also implemented. The electronic control device, like the stator, is also located in the dry compartment.

[0006] The known motor vehicle drive device is used in conjunction with a window lifter or sunroof. Its use in conjunction with a vehicle seat is also described. This requires additional anti-pinch protection. The electronic control device controls the rotating field of the synchronous motor.

[0007] The use of the known motor drive unit in conjunction with a window regulator, a sunroof, or even a vehicle seat implies a protruding and jagged structure of the housing of the known motor vehicle drive device. This is because, in connection with use with an electrically operated window regulator, a wall is provided that divides a vehicle door accommodating the window regulator into a wet and dry compartment. The same applies to applications in conjunction with a sunroof. If a vehicle seat is to be adjusted using the known drive unit, a division into a wet and dry compartment is generally not necessary.

[0008] Another motor vehicle drive device according to DE 10 2020 134 972 A1 is used in conjunction with a motor vehicle locking device. An electromagnetic actuator is provided here, which is operatively coupled to a pawl as part of a locking mechanism consisting of a rotary latch and pawl. The electromagnetic actuator can move the pawl between a catch position and a release position.

[0009] For this purpose, the electromagnetic actuator is implemented as a linear brushless motor configuration. This includes a first element that reciprocates along a linear, straight path relative to the second element. The housing provided at this location, formed from a molded plastic part, can enclose the electromagnetic actuator in question and an associated control circuit.

[0010] Independently of this, the prior publication DE 20 2014 102 567 U1 concerns a motor vehicle lock with a locking mechanism and an actuator. The actuator has an electromagnet and can be switched between stable states by energizing the electromagnet. Furthermore, a permanent magnet arranged rotationally symmetrically to a pivot axis is provided, so that the actuator is effectively equipped with a stator and rotor. However, potential problems associated with dry and wet rooms are not addressed.

[0011] The state of the art has generally proven itself when it comes to motor vehicle drive systems and their design with an electric motor drive with a stator and rotor. If an additional separation into the dry and wet compartments of a housing is made at this point, the housing in the generic state of the art according to DE 199 52 572 A1 is constructed in several parts and is fragmented. If one considers DE 10 2020 134 972 A1, the linear actuator implemented there cannot be used for many applications in connection with a motor vehicle locking system or a motor vehicle lock. This is because rotational movements are typically observed there.

[0012] The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a motor vehicle drive device in such a way that a compact and simple design is achieved while simultaneously enabling application in connection with motor vehicle locking devices or motor vehicle locks. To solve this technical problem, the invention proposes that, in a generic motor vehicle drive device, the electronics unit be designed as an electrical component carrier with at least one plastic carrier plate and a conductor track structure. Furthermore, it is advantageous to design the housing as a closed one except for an inlet opening for a locking mechanism.

[0013] This means that, in contrast to the generic prior art according to DE 199 52 572 A1 with the previously described jagged housing structure, the invention generally relies on a housing that is closed except for the inlet opening for the locking mechanism. As a result, the claimed motor vehicle drive device advantageously represents a component of a motor vehicle locking device. This means that the motor vehicle drive device is advantageously suitable for use with and in conjunction with a motor vehicle locking device, and in particular a motor vehicle lock.

[0014] In fact, the housing of such a motor vehicle locking device, and in particular of a motor vehicle lock, is advantageously designed to be closed except for the inlet opening for the locking mechanism. The housing in question can generally be constructed in one piece or in multiple parts. For example, the housing may have a base part and a cover that are connected to each other, ensuring the overall closed design.

[0015] A locking bolt can retract into the locking mechanism consisting of the rotary latch and pawl via the inlet opening. Typically, the motor vehicle locking device or motor vehicle lock is connected in or to a motor vehicle door. The locking bolt, in contrast, is located on the body side, so that when the corresponding motor vehicle door is closed, the body-side locking bolt can retract into the rotary latch via the inlet opening and be locked with it. The housing of the motor vehicle drive device and advantageously of the motor vehicle locking device in question, which is closed except for the inlet opening for the locking mechanism, is divided into the dry compartment and the wet compartment. The stator of the electric motor drive is arranged in the dry compartment together with the electronics unit. In contrast, the rotor is located in the wet compartment of the housing.

[0016] The invention is based on the additional insight that the rotor can be advantageously equipped with a connected output shaft in this way. The output shaft can be directly or indirectly coupled to at least one actuating lever. In this way, a rotary drive is directly available in the wet room with the rotor and the connected output shaft, for example, to perform actuating functions in the wet room.

[0017] These actuating functions can, in principle, be individual functional states of the motor vehicle lock. It is particularly preferred if the actuating lever is designed as a release lever, allowing the pawl to be actuated directly or indirectly via the output shaft. This means that the locking mechanism can be easily opened electrically or by an electric motor via the rotor and the connected drive shaft in the wet chamber.

[0018] Of particular inventive importance is also the fact that the electronic unit is designed as an electrical component carrier with at least one carrier plate made of plastic and a conductor track structure.

[0019] The conductor track structure can be used to connect individual electrical / electronic components of the electronics unit. The conductor track structure, in turn, is connected, for example, to a control unit inside a corresponding motor vehicle. For this purpose, the conductor track structure may be equipped with a socket for connecting a plug.

[0020] Within the scope of the invention, the design is such that the electrical component carrier accommodates not only the previously mentioned electrical / electronic components but also, as a rule, the stator. This means that the stator is mounted on or against the electrical component carrier. Furthermore, it has proven advantageous in this context if the stator is electrically connected to the conductor track structure.

[0021] A particularly compact and material-saving variant is characterized in that one wall of the drying room is designed entirely or partially as the electrical component carrier mentioned above. This means that the plastic housing or at least one wall of the drying room assumes an additional functionality within the scope of the invention in that the wall in question simultaneously represents entirely or partially the electrical component carrier or its carrier plate. For this purpose, the conductor track structure can be built into the wall in question. Here, for example, the conductor track structure can be overmolded in conjunction with a plastic injection molding process for producing the housing, thereby simultaneously defining the electrical component carrier or the wall of the drying room.

[0022] The dry chamber and the wet chamber are further separated from one another by at least one partition wall. The partition wall also represents an integral component of the housing, which according to the invention is designed to be closed except for the inlet opening. Furthermore, the design is such that the partition wall is arranged in the air gap between the stator and rotor. In this way, two different embodiments are covered within the scope of the invention. In the first embodiment, the design is such that the stator concentrically encloses the rotor with the partition wall interposed. The second embodiment is characterized in that the stator and the rotor are each axially opposite one another with the partition wall interposed.

[0023] As previously explained, the rotor typically has a connected output shaft. The output shaft can be used to directly or indirectly apply a rotary motion to the operating lever. If the electric motor drive is intended to open the locking mechanism electrically or by electric motor, this requires the operating lever to be designed as a release lever, which typically acts directly on the pawl to release it from its locking engagement with the rotary latch.

[0024] As a result, a motor vehicle drive device and a motor vehicle locking device characterized by the respective motor vehicle drive device are provided. The motor vehicle locking device is advantageously a motor vehicle lock. This means that the motor vehicle drive device is advantageously suitable for use with and in conjunction with a motor vehicle locking device.

[0025] In any case, the housing of the motor vehicle drive system and advantageously the motor vehicle locking system, and thus preferably the lock housing, implemented at this location is closed except for the inlet opening for the locking mechanism. Furthermore, the housing in question, and in particular the lock housing, houses the electric motor drive with stator and rotor. The stator is located together with the electronics unit in the dry space, whereas the rotor is located in the wet space of the plastic housing in question. For this purpose, the partition wall between the dry space and the wet space is implemented inside the housing and is also advantageously positioned in the air gap between the rotor and stator.

[0026] In this way, a motor vehicle drive device and a motor vehicle locking device advantageously equipped therewith are provided, which have a compact and cost-effective design. This is because the housing, and in particular the lock housing, is not only simply constructed and designed to be closed except for the inlet opening, but also partially assumes additional functions. In fact, at least one wall of the drying chamber can be designed wholly or partially as an electrical component carrier, i.e. generally has an inserted conductor track structure enclosed during the plastic injection molding process, which in turn serves to contact electrical / electronic components. The conductor track structure can also be used to contact the stator as a component of the electric motor drive. At the same time, the wall in question or the electrical component carrier formed wholly or partially at this point functions as a base orThe housing accommodates the electrical / electronic components in question, as well as the stator as part of the electric motor drive. This represents the main advantages.

[0027] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment; in the drawings:

[0028] Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the motor vehicle drive device or motor vehicle locking device in a radial arrangement and

[0029] Fig. 2 shows a further, second alternative embodiment of the motor vehicle drive device or motor vehicle locking device in an axial arrangement. The figures show a motor vehicle drive device. According to the exemplary embodiment, the motor vehicle drive device advantageously represents a component of a motor vehicle locking device. The motor vehicle locking device is advantageously, and according to the exemplary embodiment, a motor vehicle lock. For this purpose, the motor vehicle lock has a locking mechanism 1, 2 consisting of a rotary latch 1 and a pawl 2, only indicated in Fig. 1.

[0030] The basic structure of the drive device or locking device includes, in addition to the locking mechanism 1, 2, an electric motor drive 3, 4 with a stator 3 and rotor 4. The rotor 4 has a connected output shaft 5. According to the exemplary embodiment, the output shaft 5 is directly or indirectly coupled to at least one actuating lever 6. In fact, according to the exemplary embodiment, the actuating lever 6 is designed, not only restrictively, as a release lever 6, which is connected to or rotationally fixed to the output shaft 5.

[0031] As a result, rotational movements of the rotor 4 and thus of the output shaft 5 around the axis defined thereby, as indicated by a double arrow in Fig. 1, result in the pawl 2 being able to be lifted from its locking engagement with the rotary latch 1 via the release lever 6. This means that the electric motor drive 3, 4 serves, within the scope of the exemplary embodiment and of course not in a restrictive manner, to be able to open the locking mechanism 1, 2. It therefore functions as an electric motor opening drive.

[0032] Of particular importance is the fact that the stator 3 is arranged in a dry space 7 and the rotor 4 in a wet space 8 of a housing 9, 10, 11 made of plastic. The housing 9, 10, 11 made of plastic is generally a housing of the motor vehicle drive device, which according to the exemplary embodiment is designed as a housing of the motor vehicle locking device and preferably as a lock housing 9, 10, 11. In fact, the housing 9, 10, 11 has a base part 9 and a cover 10 as well as a partition wall 11 which separates the dry space 7 from the wet space 8. In the exemplary embodiment, the base part 9, as well as the cover 10 and the partition wall 11, can only be seen partially.

[0033] In any case, the housing 9, 10, 11 is completely closed except for an inlet opening (not shown) for the interaction of a locking bolt with the rotary latch 1 of the locking mechanism 1, 2. Furthermore, it can be seen that the drying chamber 7, in addition to the stator 3, has at least one electronic unit 9, 12, 13.

[0034] According to the exemplary embodiment, the electronics unit 9, 12, 13 is designed as an electrical component carrier 9, 12, 13 with at least one carrier plate 9 made of plastic and a conductor track structure 13. Furthermore, the electronics unit 9, 12, 13 has one or more electrical or electronic components 12. According to the exemplary embodiment, a wall 9 of the drying chamber 7 is designed entirely or partially as the electrical component carrier 9, 12, 13 or its carrier plate 9. In fact, the wall in question and thus the carrier plate 9 of the electrical component carrier 9, 12, 13 according to the exemplary embodiment is the base part 9 of the housing 9, 10, 11 or a component of the base part 9 in question. The electronic component 12 may, for example, be a sensor with the aid of which the respective rotational angle position of the electric motor drive 3, 4 or of the rotor 4 relative to the stator 3 can be detected.Of course, the electronic component 12 can also be designed as a microprocessor, switch, etc.

[0035] Both the respective electronic component 12 and the stator 4 are held by the respective electrical component carrier 9, 12, 13 or its carrier plate 9, and thus by the wall of the housing 9, 10, 11 and specifically by its base part 9. Thus, the respective wall 9 or the base part 9 performs a dual function: on the one hand, for sealing and, on the other hand, as the electrical component carrier 9, 12, 13 or carrier plate 9 of the respective electrical component carrier 9, 12, 13.

[0036] As already explained, the dry chamber 7 and the wet chamber 8 are separated from each other by the partition wall 11. The partition wall 11 runs through an air gap between the rotor 4 and the stator 3. This applies to both embodiments shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

[0037] The design according to Fig. 1 is such that the stator 3 concentrically surrounds the rotor 4 with the interposition of the partition 11. The variant according to Fig. 2 is characterized in that the stator 4 and the rotor 3 are axially opposite each other with the interposition of the partition 11. In both cases, the partition 11 additionally functions to support one axial end of the output shaft 5 in a corresponding receptacle 11a. The other axial end of the drive shaft 5 is held and supported in a corresponding receptacle 10a of the cover 10.

[0038] The rotor 4 is generally equipped with or consists of one or more permanent magnets. The stator 4, on the other hand, consists of one or more coils. In this way, an electromagnetic rotating field can be generated in the stator 3 or the coils, which the permanent magnets of the rotor 4 follow and thus set the output shaft 5, which is rotationally fixedly coupled to the rotor 4, in rotation. This can be done and carried out in such a way that a specific angle of rotation of the output shaft 5 is controlled. This angle is also detected by the previously mentioned sensor 12 and transmitted to the body-side control unit in the example case. As a result, the pawl 2 can be specifically lifted from its engagement with the rotary latch 1 in the closed position of the locking mechanism 1, 2 using the release lever 6.As a result, the rotary latch 1 can open with spring support, releasing the previously trapped locking bolt. The corresponding vehicle door can be opened. This is, of course, only an example.

[0039] Application because the operating lever 6 can generally also be used to represent other functional states inside the motor vehicle lock in the example case, for example to realize functional states such as “unlocked”, “locked” to name just a few examples.

[0040] List of reference symbols

[0041] Lock 1 , 2

[0042] Rotary latch 1

[0043] Pawl 2

[0044] Drive 3, 4

[0045] Stator 3

[0046] Rotor 4

[0047] Stator 4

[0048] Output shaft 5

[0049] Operating lever 6

[0050] Release lever 6

[0051] Drying room 7

[0052] Wet room 8

[0053] Electronic unit 9, 12, 13

[0054] Electrical component carriers 9, 12, 13

[0055] Housing 9, 10, 11

[0056] Base part 9

[0057] Carrier plate 9

[0058] Lid 10

[0059] Recording 10a

[0060] Partition 11

[0061] Recording 11a

[0062] Component 12

Claims

Patent claims 1. Motor vehicle drive unit, comprising at least one electric motor drive (3, 4) with stator (3) and rotor (4), wherein the stator (3) is arranged in a dry chamber (7) and the rotor (4) in a wet chamber (8) of a housing (9, 10, 11) made of plastic, and wherein the dry chamber (7) accommodates at least one electronic unit (9, 12, 13) in addition to the stator (3), characterized in that the electronic unit (9, 12, 13) is designed as an electrical component carrier (9, 12, 13) with at least one carrier plate (9) made of plastic and a conductor track structure (13).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing (9, 10, 11) is designed to be closed except for an inlet opening for a locking device (1, 2).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the electrical component carrier (9, 12, 13) accommodates not only electrical / electronic components (12) but also the stator (3).

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the stator (3) is electrically connected to the conductor track structure (13).

5. Device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that a wall (9) of the drying room (7) is formed wholly or partially as the electrical component carrier (9, 12, 13).

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the stator (3) concentrically surrounds the rotor (4) by means of a partition (11) of the housing (9, 10, 11).

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the stator (3) and the rotor (4) are axially opposite each other with the partition (11) interposed.

8. Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the rotor (4) has an attached output shaft (5).

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the output shaft (5) is directly or indirectly coupled to at least one actuating lever (6).

10. Motor vehicle locking device characterized by a motor vehicle- Drive device according to one of claims 1 to 9.

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