Vehicle Flap Spindle Drive Assembly for Axial Offset Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a conflict between producing spindle drive assemblies for vehicle flaps cost-effectively and ensuring high reliability and quality, with existing solutions often compromising on one or both due to manufacturing and assembly challenges.
Innovation Solution
A spindle drive assembly design that includes a coupling to compensate for axial offset and a hysteresis brake, utilizing an Oldham coupling and integrated hysteresis brake components, which simplifies manufacturing and assembly while enhancing reliability and compactness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional direct coupling of motor and gearing is used, then manufacturing precision and assembly tolerance requirements are high, but this increases manufacturing cost and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
An Oldham coupling is introduced as an intermediary component between the motor shaft and the gearing. This coupling includes a first coupling element connected to the motor shaft, a second coupling element connected to the gearing, and an intermediate element that connects the first and second coupling elements. The intermediate element allows for axial offset compensation while transmitting rotational motion, thereby enabling rougher manufacturing tolerances without compromising operational precision.
2Ease of manufacture
If axial offset compensation is implemented, then manufacturing and assembly are simplified, but additional components increase device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The Oldham coupling integrates multiple functions into a single compact assembly. The first coupling element, second coupling element, and intermediate element are combined in such a way that they simultaneously provide axial offset compensation, rotational motion transmission, and structural support. This merging approach minimizes the number of separate components while achieving the desired functionality.
3Reliability
If motor shaft speed control is added, then operational reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A hysteresis brake is integrated into the coupling structure to automatically control the motor shaft speed. The brake engages when the motor shaft rotates faster than a predetermined speed and disengages when the speed drops below a lower predetermined speed. This self-regulating mechanism provides speed control without requiring external control systems, thereby improving reliability while minimizing additional complexity.
4Volume of moving object
If hysteresis brake is integrated into coupling, then device compactness is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The hysteresis brake is nested within the Oldham coupling structure. Specifically, the hysteresis brake is integrated into the intermediate element of the coupling, allowing the brake components to be housed within the existing coupling geometry. This nesting arrangement achieves compactness without requiring additional space, and the integrated design reduces the number of separate assemblies, thereby lowering integration tolerance requirements.
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
The solution allows for a cost-effective and reliable spindle drive assembly that is compact in design, reducing operational restrictions and undesirable noises, ensuring high-quality and efficient operation of vehicle flaps.
Implementation Method 1
a hysteresis brake serving to limit a speed of the motor shaft and/or to fix the motor shaft
Implementation Method 2
a coupling compensating an axial offset and a hysteresis brake are drivingly interposed between the spindle drive motor and the gearing
Data Source
AI summary
A spindle drive assembly for opening and/or closing a vehicle flap is described, having a spindle extending along a spindle drive axis and a spindle drive motor which is drivingly coupled to the spindle via a gearing and the motor shaft of which is arranged substantially coaxially with the spindle drive axis, wherein a coupling compensating an axial offset and a hysteresis brake are drivingly interposed between the spindle drive motor and the gearing. In addition, a vehicle flap with such a spindle drive assembly is presented.