Vehicle Hinge Driving Apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023116473-A1
Application number	US-202217846190-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 22, 2022
Priority date	Oct 12, 2021
Publication date	Apr 13, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An embodiment vehicle hinge driving apparatus includes an actuator, a housing connected to the actuator, an output shaft rotatably mounted in the housing, a transmission mechanism configured to transmit a torque from the actuator to the output shaft, and a brake unit mounted on the transmission mechanism. An embodiment method for providing a vehicle hinge driving apparatus includes rotatably mounting an output shaft in a housing that is connected to an actuator, providing a transmission mechanism that transmits a torque from the actuator to the output shaft, and mounting a brake unit on the transmission mechanism.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle hinge driving apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
an actuator; a housing connected to the actuator; an output shaft rotatably mounted in the housing; a transmission mechanism configured to transmit a torque from the actuator to the output shaft; and a brake unit mounted on the transmission mechanism.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the transmission mechanism comprises a plurality of gear sets by which the actuator and the output shaft are operatively connected and a plurality of transmission shafts by which adjacent gear sets are connected; and the brake unit is mounted on a transmission shaft of the plurality of transmission shafts.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the brake unit comprises a friction member frictionally contacting the transmission shaft.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein:
the friction member has a friction surface directly contacting an outer circumferential surface of the transmission shaft; and the friction surface has an arc shape corresponding to that of the outer circumferential surface of the transmission shaft.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein:
the housing comprises a cavity in which the friction member is received and two guide projections opposing each other in the cavity; the friction member has two guide grooves opposing each other; and each guide projection is received in a corresponding one of the guide grooves.

6 . The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the brake unit further comprises a spring configured to apply an elastic force to push the friction member toward the transmission shaft.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the brake unit further comprises an adjusting member configured to adjust spring tension of the spring.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the spring is interposed between the friction member and the adjusting member.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein:
the housing has a mounting hole in which the adjusting member is adjustably mounted; the mounting hole has an internal thread provided on an inner circumferential surface thereof; and the adjusting member has an external thread configured to mesh with the internal thread of the mounting hole.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein:
the friction member includes a retainer recess recessed from a top surface of the friction member to a bottom surface of the friction member and a retainer projection protruding upwardly from the retainer recess; the adjusting member includes a retainer recess provided in a bottom surface of the adjusting member; a top end of the spring is supported by the retainer recess of the adjusting member; and a bottom end of the spring is supported by the retainer recess and the retainer projection of the friction member.

11 . A method for providing a vehicle hinge driving apparatus, the method comprising:
rotatably mounting an output shaft in a housing that is connected to an actuator; providing a transmission mechanism that transmits a torque from the actuator to the output shaft; and mounting a brake unit on the transmission mechanism.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein:
the transmission mechanism comprises a plurality of gear sets by which the actuator and the output shaft are operatively connected and a plurality of transmission shafts by which adjacent gear sets are connected; and the brake unit is mounted on a transmission shaft of the plurality of transmission shafts.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the brake unit comprises a friction member frictionally contacting the transmission shaft.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein:
the friction member has a friction surface directly contacting an outer circumferential surface of the transmission shaft; and the friction surface has an arc shape corresponding to that of the outer circumferential surface of the transmission shaft.

15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein:
the housing comprises a cavity in which the friction member is received and two guide projections opposing each other in the cavity; the friction member has two guide grooves opposing each other; and each guide projection is received in a corresponding one of the guide grooves.

16 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the brake unit further comprises a spring that applies an elastic force to push the friction member toward the transmission shaft.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the brake unit further comprises an adjusting member that adjusts spring tension of the spring.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the spring is interposed between the friction member and the adjusting member.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein:
the housing has a mounting hole in which the adjusting member is adjustably mounted; the mounting hole has an internal thread provided on an inner circumferential surface thereof; and the adjusting member has an external thread configured to mesh with the internal thread of the mounting hole.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein:
the friction member includes a retainer recess recessed from a top surface of the friction member to a bottom surface of the friction member and a retainer projection protruding upwardly from the retainer recess; the adjusting member includes a retainer recess provided in a bottom surface of the adjusting member; a top end of the spring is supported by the retainer recess of the adjusting member; and a bottom end of the spring is supported by the retainer recess and the retainer projection of the friction member.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp
• Daedong Movel System Co Ltd
• Pha Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Duck Young
• Kim Ki Dong
• Kwon Oh Sik
• Kim Kyu Bum
• Hong Kwang Hun

Classifications

• E05F15/41 Primary

  Detection by monitoring transmitted force or torque (E05F15/48 takes precedence); Safety couplings with activation dependent upon torque or force, e.g. slip couplings · CPC title

• E05Y2201/26

  Mechanical friction · CPC title

• E05F15/614 Primary

  operated by meshing gear wheels, one of which being mounted at the wing pivot axis; operated by a motor acting directly on the wing pivot axis · CPC title

• E05Y2900/531

  Doors · CPC title

• E05Y2800/232

  of motors and transmissions · CPC title