Setting-open device

Abstract

The invention relates to a setting-open device for a motor vehicle door, in particular a handleless motor vehicle door, for example a handleless motor vehicle side door. For this purpose, the setting-open device is equipped with an electric-motor drive (1 to 4) and with an associated actuating element (5) for acting on a door leaf. The actuating element (5) acts on the door leaf with a travel-dependent force along the actuation travel (S) of said actuating element. The electric-motor drive (1 to 4) acts on the actuating element (5) by the interposition of a lever mechanism (7, 8), wherein the lever mechanism (7, 8) acts on the actuating element (5) by way of at least a short lever (7) and a long lever (8).

Description

[0001] Installation device

[0002] Description:

[0003] The invention relates to a positioning device for a motor vehicle door, in particular a handleless motor vehicle door such as a handleless motor vehicle side door, comprising an electric motor drive and an associated actuator for actuating a door leaf. The actuator applies a path-dependent force to the door leaf along its travel path. This means that the electric motor drive acts on the associated actuator, which acts on the door leaf.

[0004] Opening devices for motor vehicle doors are known in a wide variety of designs and are promoted in the state of the art and in practice. According to the explanations in DE 10 2015 103 826 A1, the opening device in question actually ensures that the corresponding door leaf of the motor vehicle door in question can be opened at least partially relative to a motor vehicle body. As a result, an operator or user of the motor vehicle can then grasp the door leaf through the gap created in this way and, in the example case, pivot the door leaf around its pivot axis and open it.

[0005] In principle, not only pivoting vehicle side doors can be equipped with such a positioning device, but it is also possible to alternatively position a tailgate, a sliding door, etc. in this way. Alternatively, a front hood can also be equipped with such a positioning device. In either case, a vehicle door equipped with this positioning device generally eliminates the need for an exterior door handle or other external handle, allowing the vehicle door to be designed to be particularly aerodynamically efficient.

[0006] Various embodiments of such positioning devices are known in the prior art. For example, FR 2 814 771 A1 discloses a positioning device that acts on a rod-shaped actuator in the manner of a spindle drive, which can thus open and, if necessary, close a door leaf in the desired manner.

[0007] In another embodiment according to DE 10 2018 132 665 A1, the door leaf can be held in place using the actuator or actuating means. For this purpose, the actuator has a locking means or a locking lever. This allows a positive connection to the vehicle body to be provided.

[0008] The generic prior art according to DE 10 2011 015 669 A1 involves providing a lifting element that motor-drivenly moves the motor vehicle door or the associated door leaf into the raised position through a pivoting movement. For this purpose, the lifting element is equipped with two parts: an outer lever and an inner lever, which can be pivoted relative to each other. Since the outer lever, for example, is equipped with an arcuate stop ring and moves with this against the door leaf to raise it, the travel-dependent force is monitored along the travel of the actuator, with the aid of which the actuator acts on the door leaf.

[0009] The state of the art has generally proven itself, but still offers room for improvement. In fact, the structure of the generic teaching according to DE 10 2011 015 669 A1 is relatively complex, and the frictional contact of the stop ring of the outer lever on the inside of a hatch or motor vehicle door at this location leads, on the one hand, to damage to the inside of the motor vehicle door and, on the other hand, to increased abrasion on the stop ring. In addition, the interaction between the curved stop ring on the one hand and the door leaf it acts upon, on the other, requires a relatively large amount of space for mutual interaction.This is counterproductive given that the installation space between the corresponding motor vehicle door and the vehicle body is generally limited because the interior of the motor vehicle door, which usually houses the electric motor drive, is typically filled with other components such as side impact protection, window lifts, loudspeakers, side airbags, etc.

[0010] Accordingly, the present invention is based on the technical problem of further developing such a positioning device for a motor vehicle door in such a way that a functionally appropriate and structurally simple force application to the actuator is achieved. To solve this technical problem, a generic positioning device for a motor vehicle door within the scope of the invention is characterized in that the electric motor drive acts on the actuator with the interposition of a lever mechanism, wherein the lever mechanism acts on the actuator with at least one short lever and one long lever.

[0011] The design is usually such that the short lever acts on an end pin of the actuator. In contrast, the long lever, as a component of the lever mechanism, usually interacts with a cantilever of the actuator. In addition to the short lever and the long lever, it is of course possible and within the scope of the invention to provide a third or even fourth lever in order to actuate the actuator to open the motor vehicle door leaf with the aid of all the levers. The various levers seamlessly ensure that the actuator applies a path-dependent force to the door leaf along its travel path, as explained in more detail below.

[0012] In fact, the design is usually such that the two levers act on the actuator successively, i.e. one after the other. This usually involves starting from an end position of the actuator, the actuator is first acted upon with the short lever and then with the long lever. In this way, the actuator is generally acted upon with great force over a short part of the actuating travel using the short lever. Starting from the end position of the actuator, the invention can thereby ensure that the actuating device is capable of opening a motor vehicle door or its door leaf that is, for example, frozen to the motor vehicle body. This usually requires increased force, which is provided according to the invention by the short lever. This short lever acts on the actuator starting from its end position for a small part of its actuating travel.For example, a portion of 10% to a maximum of 30% of the actuator travel can be completed using the short lever.

[0013] If, on the other hand, the door leaf in the example described is free or has come loose from a circumferential rubber seal in the vehicle body, a lower force is then sufficient to actuate the actuator over the remainder of its travel. In the example described, this corresponds to a remaining travel of 70% to 90% of the total travel. This means that, as a rule, starting from its retracted end position relative to a housing, the actuator is initially acted upon with a high transmission ratio and thus a high force, taking into account a small part of the travel, namely using the short lever. The majority of the actuator's travel is then completed by the long lever acting on the actuator with a lower transmission ratio and consequently also a lower force.

[0014] As a result, the door leaf is actuated with high force and low speed along the first part of the travel using the short lever, whereas the long lever then covers most of the remaining travel of the actuator with low force, thereby increasing the overall speed of the actuator and thus also of the door leaf actuated by it. This explains the high transmission ratio observed starting from the end position in the first part of the travel and the comparatively lower transmission ratio when the long lever is applied to the actuator.

[0015] In this context, the actuator's end position typically corresponds to a retracted position relative to the outer skin of the door leaf or the housing housing the device. In contrast, the actuator's fully extended position corresponds to its exposed position relative to the outer skin of the door leaf and the maximum distance of the door leaf from the vehicle body achieved with the help of the positioning device.

[0016] According to a further advantageous embodiment, both levers are connected to a gear wheel of the electric motor drive with the same axis. This is usually done so that both levers are at an angular distance of approximately 20° to 40° from each other with respect to the common axis. The gear wheel generally belongs to a gearbox, and in particular to a reduction gear. The reduction gear is actuated by an electric motor of the electric motor drive. The output-side gear wheel of the respective gearbox is equipped with the two levers. Furthermore, the design is usually such that the actuator is designed as a linearly movable control slide. For this purpose, the control slide usually has at least two stop contours for interacting with an associated stop edge of the respective lever.This means that the adjusting slide has a first stop contour for interaction with the stop edge on the short lever and a further second stop contour which is set up and designed for interaction with the stop edge on the long lever.

[0017] The two stop contours are spaced apart longitudinally from each other with respect to the elongated and linearly movable control slide, so that the short lever can successively act on the first stop contour and then the long lever can act on the second stop contour of the control slide. The first stop gate represents the end pin, while the second stop gate is designed as a cantilever.

[0018] The control slide or actuator, as well as the gear wheel with the two levers, is usually made of plastic. The same may apply to the gear wheels of the gearbox following the electric motor, and in particular the reduction gear. Of course, other designs are also conceivable. In addition, the linearly movable control slide is usually assigned a linear guide. The linear guide is generally located inside the housing that encloses the entire setting device. This means that the housing generally accommodates the electric motor drive, including the gearbox and lever mechanism, and is only equipped with a front opening through which the actuator, designed as a control slide, protrudes outwards or is moved back to its end position.The entire positioning device, including the housing, can be installed inside the corresponding, equipped vehicle door. Thanks to the enclosed and sealed design of the housing, the entire positioning device can be installed inside a wet space within the vehicle door without any risk of functional impairment, even over a long period of time.

[0019] In conjunction with the compact and functional design achieved in this way, a force application tailored to the specific requirements is nevertheless provided. In fact, starting from its retracted end position, the actuator initially applies increased force to the door leaf in order to release or free it from the body, for example if the vehicle door is icy. As soon as the door leaf is free, it is acted upon by the actuator at increased speed and reduced force over the remainder of the travel. This means that, over the travel of the actuator, the power flow changes from the electric motor drive or the output-side gear wheel, first from the short lever to the actuator and then from the long lever to the actuator, with the two levers alternating and successively, i.e. one after the other, act on the actuator.The two components of the travel, completed using the short lever and the long lever, merge directly into one another or connect to one another, so that the actuator as a whole and on the output side is moved smoothly from its end position, initially at low speed and high force, and then at low force and high speed. This represents the key advantages.

[0020] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment; in the drawings:

[0021] Fig. 1 the installation device according to the invention in different functional positions,

[0022] Fig. 2 the basic design of the lever mechanism,

[0023] Fig. 3A, 3B and 3C show the loading of the actuator during its travel in a first variant and

[0024] Fig. 4A, 4B and 4C show a modified second embodiment.

[0025] Fig. 1 shows and reproduces a positioning device for a motor vehicle door (not expressly shown). In fact, the positioning device illustrated in Fig. 1 is typically housed inside a motor vehicle door and, for example, by being mounted at the end in the region of a pivot axis of the associated door leaf relative to a motor vehicle body, ensures that the door leaf is positioned a certain distance relative to the motor vehicle body, as can be seen, for example, in Fig. 1 of DE 10 2015 103 826 A1. Consequently, an operator can grasp the door leaf through the gap and pivot it fully open.

[0026] For this purpose, the positioning device is equipped with an electric motor drive 1, 2, 3, 4, as shown in Fig. 2. Furthermore, an actuator 5 is provided, which serves to actuate the door leaf (not shown in detail). The actuator 5 applies a path-dependent force to the door leaf along its travel path S.

[0027] In fact, the travel S can be understood from the two representations in Fig. 1. The upper part of Fig. 1 shows the actuator 5 in a retracted end position, whereas the lower part of Fig. 1 shows the actuator 5 in a different end position, namely in an exposed position relative to a housing 6 which encloses the entire installation device. In fact, the housing 6 is completely closed and accommodates the electric motor drive 1 to 4 as well as a lever gear 7, 8 which will be described in more detail below. The enclosing housing 6 is closed except for a front opening 6a through which the actuator 5 can be extended and retracted relative to the housing 6.

[0028] According to the invention, the electric motor drive 1 to 4 now acts on the actuator 5 with the interposition of the lever gear 7, 8 already mentioned, as can be understood from the overview in Fig. 2. For this purpose, the lever gear 7, 8 works on the actuator 5 with at least one short lever 7 and one long lever 8. Based on the exemplary embodiment, it can be understood that the length of the short lever 7 corresponds to slightly more than half the length of the long lever 8, which of course only applies as an example.

[0029] In fact, the design is such that the short lever 7 acts on an end pin 5a of the actuator 5, whereas the long lever 8 interacts with a cantilever 5b of the actuator 5. The overall design is such that the two levers 7, 8 successively act on the actuator 5. In fact, according to the exemplary embodiment, starting from the first end position of the actuator 5, shown in the upper part of Fig. 1 in its retracted state relative to the housing 6, the short lever 7 first acts on the actuator 5 and then the actuator 5 is acted upon by means of the long lever 8.

[0030] For this purpose, both levers 7, 8 are connected on the same axis to a gear wheel 4 as part of the electric motor drive 1 to 4. In fact, the electric motor drive 1 to 4 consists of an electric motor 1 and a gear 2, 3, 4 driven by it. The gear 2, 3, 4 ensures that high-speed rotary movements of an output shaft of the electric motor 1 are reduced overall, i.e., ultimately result in a slow rotary movement of the output-side gear wheel 4.

[0031] The two levers 7, 8 are—as mentioned—connected coaxially to the output-side gear wheel 4 of the gear unit 2, 3, 4 of the electric motor drive 1 to 4. According to the illustrated example, the two levers 7, 8 are spaced apart by an angular distance a of approximately 20° to 40°. This naturally depends on the topological conditions and the design and is by no means mandatory or restrictive.

[0032] In the exemplary embodiment, the actuator 5 is a linearly movable control slide 5. In fact, for this purpose, the housing 6 is equipped on the inside with a linear guide 9, with the aid of which the actuator 5 or the linearly movable control slide 5 is guided inside the housing 6.

[0033] The actuation of the control slide 5 is generally ensured by two stop contours 5a and 5b, as can be seen from the functional sequence in Figures 3A to 3C and 4A to 4C, respectively. The two stop contours 5a and 5b are spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal extension of the control slide 5. Furthermore, the design is such that the stop contour 5a interacts with the short lever 7, whereas the further stop contour 5b is arranged and designed to interact with the long lever 8. For this purpose, the respective lever 7, 8 has an associated stop edge 7a or 8a. The stop contour 5a is an end pin 5a on the actuator 5. In contrast, the stop contour 5b is a cantilever 5b.

[0034] The mode of operation can now be understood based on the functional sequence in Figs. 3A to 3C and 4A to 4C. Figs. 3A and 4A show the retracted state of the actuator 5 according to the upper illustration in Fig. 1, whereas Figs. 3C and 4C show the fully extended position of the actuator 5 after completing the travel S according to the lower illustration in Fig. 1.

[0035] Starting from the end position according to Fig. 3A or 4A, the short lever 7 is initially in contact with the adjusting slide 5. Because in this functional position according to Fig. 3A or 4A the short lever 7 is etc. and then there is another change on page 11 line 9 it should say according to Fig. 3A or 4A the functional position corresponding representation in Fig. 3B or 4B can be understood. Now a transmission change takes place in such a way that the short lever 7 comes out of engagement with the end pin or the stop contour 5a, so that the long lever 8 then comes into contact with the boom 5b or the stop contour 5b with its stop edge 8a.

[0036] During the transition from the functional position according to Fig. 3B or 4B to Fig. 3C or 4C, the actuator 5 is now acted upon with a lower force and higher speed, until it reaches its other end position and thus the exposed position according to the lower

[0037] Representation in Fig. 1. Here the adjusting slide 5 completes the rest of the travel S.

Claims

Patent claims:

1. A positioning device for a motor vehicle door, in particular a handleless motor vehicle door such as a handleless motor vehicle side door, with an electric motor drive (1 to 4) and with an associated actuator (5) for acting on a door leaf, wherein the actuator (5) acts on the door leaf with a path-dependent force along its actuating path (S), characterized in that the electric motor drive (1 to 4) acts on the actuator (5) with the interposition of a lever gear (7, 8), wherein the lever gear (7, 8) acts on the actuator (5) with at least one short lever (7) and one long lever (8).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the short lever (7) acts on an end pin (5a) of the actuator (5).

3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the long lever (8) interacts with an arm (5b) of the actuator (5).

4. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the two levers (7, 8) act on the actuator (5) successively.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that starting from an end position, the actuator (5) is first actuated by the short lever (7) and then by the long lever (8).

6. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that both levers (7, 8) are connected with the same axis to a gear wheel (4) of the electric motor drive (1 to 4).

7. Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that both levers (7, 8) have an angular distance (a) of approximately 20° to 40° from one another.

8. Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the Gear wheel (4) to a transmission (2, 3, 4), in particular Reduction gear (2, 3, 4) which is actuated by an electric motor (1) of the electric motor drive (1 to 4).

9. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the actuator (5) is designed as a linearly movable adjusting slide (5).

10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the adjusting slide (5) is equipped with at least two stop contours (5a, 5b) for interaction with an associated stop edge (7a, 8a) of the respective lever (7, 8).

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