Cableless Drive Arrangement for Motor Vehicle Closure Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing drive arrangements for motor vehicle closure elements, such as tailgates, are inflexible due to the need for precise mechanical mounting and cable connections, which limits their use and increases tooling costs, weight, and susceptibility to cable breaks and water ingress.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a cableless actuation system that uses wireless transmission paths, such as inductive, capacitive, or electromagnetic means, to transmit energy and control signals, allowing for flexible mounting and reduced mechanical requirements, and incorporating an energy store for buffering energy during adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cable-based coupling arrangement is used to actuate the electric drive, then the drive can be reliably actuated electrically with control signals and energy transmission, but the mechanical mounting precision requirements increase and the flexibility of use decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cable-based coupling arrangement with a contactless coupling arrangement that uses electromagnetic fields (inductive or capacitive coupling) to transmit energy and control signals. This substitution eliminates the need for physical cable connections, thereby removing the constraints of mechanical mounting precision and cable routing, while maintaining reliable electrical actuation of the drive.
2Reliability
If a cable connection is used for energy and control signal transmission, then the drive can be actuated, but the weight of the drive arrangement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the cable connection from the drive arrangement, eliminating the physical medium for energy and signal transmission. By using contactless coupling through electromagnetic fields, the heavy cables and associated connectors are completely removed, significantly reducing the weight of the drive arrangement while preserving full actuation capability.
3Use of energy by moving object
If a cable connection is used to actuate the drive, then electrical energy can be transmitted, but the susceptibility to cable breaks and water ingress increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the vulnerable mechanical cable system with a contactless electromagnetic coupling system. This substitution eliminates physical cables that can break, fray, or allow water ingress, while maintaining efficient energy and control signal transmission through inductive or capacitive coupling between transmitter and receiver coils/capacitors.
4Reliability
If precise mechanical mounting is required for cable connections, then the cable connection can be made leak-proof and functional, but the tooling costs and mounting complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanically complex cable connection system with a contactless electromagnetic coupling system. This eliminates the need for precise mechanical mounting of cables, grommets, and connectors, thereby reducing tooling costs and mounting complexity while achieving equivalent or superior reliability through contactless energy and signal transmission.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enhances flexibility, reduces tooling costs and weight, and increases mechanical robustness by eliminating cable-related issues, while simplifying the mounting process and reducing the risk of cable breaks and water ingress.
Implementation Method 1
the cableless transmission path comprises an inductive transmission of energy and/or control signals
Implementation Method 2
the cableless transmission path comprises a capacitive transmission of energy and/or control signals
Implementation Method 3
the cableless control signal transmission comprises a transmission by means of electromagnetic waves
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments relate to a drive arrangement for a closure element of a motor vehicle which has an electrical motor vehicle on-board power system, wherein an electric drive for motorized adjustment of the closure element is provided, wherein the drive is assigned a coupling arrangement by which the drive can be actuated electrically. It is proposed that at least one cableless transmission path, in particular to an on-board-power-system-side coupling arrangement, via which the drive can be actuated, can be generated by the drive-side coupling arrangement.