Motor Vehicle Lock Actuator Spindle Stop Housing Stress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing actuator units for motor vehicle latches face challenges in providing long-term stable and reproducible forces while minimizing constructional elements and stresses on the housing, particularly in ensuring safe and durable operation without relying on position sensors or microswitches.
Innovation Solution
The actuator unit incorporates a spindle with a stop that interacts with the spindle nut to limit the path, allowing for defined stopping without transferring relative force to the housing, enabling the electrical drive to switch off based on increased power consumption, and using a dual-component housing to accommodate the motor and gearbox while minimizing housing stress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If the spindle stop interacts with the housing to limit the path, then the housing absorbs relative force and experiences increased stress, but if the spindle stop interacts with the spindle nut to limit the path, then the housing stress is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The spindle nut serves as an intermediary element between the spindle stop and the housing. Instead of the stop directly interacting with the housing (which causes stress), the stop interacts with the spindle nut, which in turn is accommodated in the housing. This intermediary arrangement transfers the stopping function to the spindle nut while reducing direct stress on the housing structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing is divided into multiple components, with the spindle nut accommodation area being a distinct segment. This segmentation allows the spindle nut to be accommodated in a specific portion of the housing, enabling the stop to interact with the spindle nut rather than the housing as a whole, thereby reducing overall housing stress while maintaining reliable path limitation.
2Measurement precision
If position sensors and microswitches are used to detect end position, then positioning accuracy is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator unit uses itself to detect the end position through the electrical drive's power consumption characteristics. When the spindle stop interacts with the spindle nut, the electrical drive experiences increased power consumption, which serves as a self-generated signal that the end position has been reached. This eliminates the need for external position sensors and microswitches, reducing device complexity while maintaining detection accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the electrical drive's power consumption to detect the end position. The increased power consumption when the stop interacts with the spindle nut provides immediate feedback to the control system, allowing it to determine when the path limitation has been reached without requiring additional sensing components.
3Ease of manufacture
If the spindle nut is accommodated in the housing with stop interaction, then path limitation is achieved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase to guarantee safe and durable functioning
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into multiple components, with the spindle nut accommodation area being a specific portion. This segmentation allows for standardized manufacturing of the spindle nut and its accommodation area, reducing the overall manufacturing precision requirements compared to a monolithic housing design. The spindle nut can be manufactured with standard tolerances and accommodated in the housing segment.
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 design achieves long-term stability and reduced stress on the housing, eliminating the need for position sensors and microswitches, while ensuring safe and efficient operation with reduced material usage and manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
Stoppage of the stop on the housing is hereby detected by the increased power consumption of the electrical spindle drive being recorded
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an actuating unit (14) having an actuating element (15), in particular to a closing drive for a motor vehicle lock, comprising a drive unit, a housing (18, 19), a spindle nut (16), and a spindle (15), wherein the spindle nut (16) is accommodated in the housing (18, 19) of the actuating unit (14), and a Bowden cable (20), wherein the Bowden cable (20) is connected to the spindle (15), wherein the spindle (15) has a stop (21), which interacts with the spindle nut (15), such that the travel of the spindle (15) can be limited.