Drive device for a closure element of a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12359483-B2
Application number	US-201816766157-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2018
Priority date	Nov 24, 2017
Publication date	Jul 15, 2025
Grant date	Jul 15, 2025

Abstract

A drive apparatus for a closure element of a motor vehicle, including a tube defining an axis, a spindle disposed within the tube and configured to move from an extended position to a first retracted position and a second retracted position, a spindle nut disposed within the tube and operatively engaged to the spindle, a stop nut fixed to the spindle, and a damping element disposed between the spindle nut and the stop nut. The tube defines a first end stop face and the stop nut defines a second end stop face, and when the spindle is in the first retracted position, the damping element engages the first end stop face and is spaced apart from the stop nut.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A drive apparatus for use with a closure element of a motor vehicle, the drive apparatus comprising:
a drive train provided with two drive sections, each of the two drive sections including a drive connector, wherein the two drive sections are configured to move linearly with respect to one another to create linear drive movements along an axis between the drive connectors between a retracted position and an extended position of the two drive sections;
a spring arrangement configured to bias the drive sections relative to one another towards the extended position;
an end stop arrangement configured to limit movement of the drive connectors away from each other when the two drive sections are moved towards the extended position, wherein the end stop arrangement comprises a first end stop face of one of the drive sections and a second end stop face of the other one of the drive sections, wherein the end stop faces are configured to move toward one another; and
a damping device configured to dampen the movement of the drive connectors away from each other as the two drive sections are moved toward the extended position, wherein the movement of the two drive sections toward the extended position is limited by the end stop arrangement based on a relative speed of the end stop faces, wherein the damping device is provided with a damping element, wherein when the drive sections are in the retracted position, the damping element is axially spaced apart from the first end stop face and the second end stop face, and when the drive sections are in the extended position, the damping element is configured to axially contact and plastically deform against the first end stop face to change from a non-deformed state to a plastically deformed state, and wherein when the damping element is in the plastically deformed state, the two drive sections are configured to be driven until the second end stop face engages the damping element.

2. The drive apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the damping element is in the non-deformed state, the damping element produces a first frictional force between the drive sections and when the damping element is in the plastically deformed state, the damping element produces a second frictional force between the drive sections, greater than the first frictional force.

3. The drive apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one of the drive sections includes a tube and the other one of the drive sections includes a rod, wherein the rod is in engagement with an inner side of the tube.

4. The drive apparatus of claim 3 , wherein when the damping element is in the non-deformed state, the damping element is connected to the rod with an axially fixed connection, and the damping element changes from the non-deformed state to the plastically deformed state as the damping element axially engages the first end stop face defined by the tube and extending inwardly from the tube.

5. The drive apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the rod is a spindle and the tube is a spindle nut tube including a spindle nut.

6. The drive apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second end stop face is formed by at least one radially outwardly pointing projection formed by a first stop nut axially fixed and connected to the spindle.

7. The drive apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the damping element is formed by a second stop nut, and the dimensions of the second stop nut and the material of the second stop nut are identical to the dimensions and the material of the first stop nut.

8. The drive apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second stop nut is crimped to the spindle.

9. The drive apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the one of the drive sections includes a tube and the other one of the drive sections includes a rod, wherein the rod is in threaded engagement with an inner side of the tube.

10. The drive apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the inner side of the tube forms the first end stop face.

11. The drive apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second end stop face is on an outer side of the rod.

12. The drive apparatus of claim 11 , wherein when the damping element is in the non-deformed state, the damping element is connected to the rod with an axially fixed connection, and when the damping element is in the plastically deformed state, the axially fixed connection of the damping element is released.

13. A drive apparatus configured to open and close a closure element of a motor vehicle, the drive apparatus comprising:
a tube defining an axis;
a spindle nut disposed within the tube and connected and fixed axially to the tube;
a spindle disposed within the tube, the spindle nut being operatively engaged to the spindle, wherein the spindle, while rotating in the spindle nut, is configured to move relative to the tube along the axis from an extended position to a first retracted position and a second retracted position;
a stop nut fixed to the spindle; and
a damping element disposed between the spindle nut and the stop nut, wherein the tube defines a first end stop face and the stop nut defines a second end stop face, and wherein when the spindle is in the first retracted position, the damping element engages the first end stop face and is spaced apart from the stop nut, wherein when the spindle is in the first retracted position, the damping element is plastically deformed from a non-deformed state to a plastically deformed state.

14. The drive apparatus of claim 13 , wherein when the spindle is in the second retracted position, the second end stop face engages the damping element so that portions of the damping element are plastically deformed and move in the radial directions.

15. A drive apparatus configured to open and close a closure element of a motor vehicle, the drive apparatus comprising:
a tube defining an axis and having a circumferential projection extending towards the axis, wherein the circumferential projection defines a first end stop face;
a spindle nut disposed within the tube and connected and fixed axially to the tube;
a spindle disposed within the tube, the spindle nut being operatively engaged to the spindle, wherein the spindle, while rotating in the spindle nut, is configured to move relative to the tube along the axis from an extended position to a first retracted position and a second retracted position;
a first stop nut fixed to the spindle; and
a damping element disposed between the spindle nut and the first stop nut, wherein the first stop nut defines a second end stop face, and wherein when the spindle is in the first retracted position, the damping element axially engages the first end stop face and is spaced apart from the first stop nut, wherein the damping element is formed by a second stop nut, the dimensions of the second stop nut and the material of the second stop nut being identical to the dimensions and the material of the first stop nut.

16. The drive apparatus of claim 15 , wherein when the spindle is in the second retracted position relative to the tube along the axis, a portion of the damping element is disposed radially between the circumferential projection and the spindle.

17. The drive apparatus of claim 16 , wherein when the spindle is in the extended position relative to the tube along the axis, the damping element is spaced apart from the first stop nut and the circumferential projection.

Assignees

• Brose Fahrzeugteile Se & Co Kg Bamberg
• Brose Fahrzeugteile Se & Co Kg

Inventors

• Wittelsbürger Michael
• Stöhr Thomas
• Jarand Rainer
• Schramm Marco
• Weigand Andreas
• Macht Alwin
• Krüger Harald
• Fischer Matthias

Classifications

• E05F3/224

  for assisting in opening the wing · CPC title

• E05Y2900/532

  Back doors or end doors · CPC title

• E05Y2201/702

  Spindles; Worms · CPC title

• E05Y2201/70

  Nuts · CPC title

• E05Y2201/474

  Compression springs · CPC title