Vehicle Hatch Kinematics With Telescopic Actuation for Wider Openings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing actuators for vehicle doors, such as swing doors, are limited in their ability to move along curved paths other than circular arcs and restrict the placement of the connection point to a smaller area, making it difficult to achieve larger passage areas and integrate with curved roof structures.
Innovation Solution
An actuator that combines rotation and translational displacement of the spindle drive, allowing movement along elliptical or circular paths with a center outside the actuator, and includes a gear system with different thread pitches for controlled angular range and reduced installation space, enabling a single four-bar arrangement to support wider entry areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If rigid coupling rods are used to connect the door to the vehicle body, then the door follows a predetermined circular path, but the attachment point on the body is restricted to a small area and the door must pivot far away from the body
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the actuator's arm length variable through a telescopic mechanism. The arm can extend and retract to different lengths, allowing the door to follow different movement paths (circular, elliptical, or other curved paths) depending on the required application. This dynamic adjustment of the arm length enables the attachment point to be positioned in a larger area on the vehicle body while maintaining controlled door movement, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and adaptability.
2Ease of operation
If the door is displaced along a circular path with a fixed radius, then the movement path is predetermined, but the passageway size is limited and cannot accommodate larger opening areas
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic arm mechanism allows the radius of the door's movement path to be dynamically adjusted. By extending the arm to maximum length, the door can traverse a larger arc, creating a wider passageway. The variable arm length enables the system to adapt to different passageway requirements while maintaining smooth, controlled movement along the desired path, thus resolving the contradiction between predetermined movement and passageway area.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the key parameter of the actuator arm length to enable different movement characteristics. By varying the arm length parameter, the system can achieve different door displacement paths and passageway sizes. This parameter change allows the same actuator mechanism to serve multiple functions with different geometric requirements, resolving the contradiction between fixed movement path and variable passageway area.
3Device complexity
If a traditional actuator with fixed arm length is used, then the structure is simple, but the installation space is constrained and cannot accommodate curved roof structures
Solution Approach 1:
The telescopic arm mechanism provides dynamic adaptability that allows the actuator to integrate with curved roof structures. By adjusting the arm length, the actuator can accommodate different mounting positions and angles required by curved surfaces. This dynamic capability enables the same basic actuator structure to be adapted to various roof geometries without requiring completely different designs, thus resolving the contradiction between structural simplicity and adaptability to curved surfaces.
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
Enables larger passage areas and reduced installation space, allowing for wider door openings and integration with curved roof structures by allowing the actuator to move the door along varied paths and adjust its connection point, thus improving door design flexibility and space efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a spindle drive (12), which is designed to be displaceable about a drive axis (A) of a motor, wherein a spindle (28) of the spindle drive (12) is connected to a first bevel gear (36), which in turn meshes with a second bevel gear (38) driven by an electric motor (30)
Implementation Method 2
a first bevel gear (36), which in turn meshes with a second bevel gear (38) driven by an electric motor (30)
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an actuator (10) comprising a spindle drive (12), a first gear which causes a translational displacement of a first connecting unit (16) connected to the spindle drive (12), and a second gear which engages with the first gear and which is rotationally coupled to a second connecting unit (24), wherein the actuator (10) is configured such that a relative rotation of the two gears relative to each other causes actuation of the spindle drive (12) as well as a displacement of the spindle drive (12) relative to the central axis of the second gear. Furthermore, the invention relates to bearing arrangements of a pivoting element, e.g., a door, to a higher-level assembly, e.g., a vehicle body.