Filling an armature chamber in an actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023335323-A1
Application number	US-202318300869-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 14, 2023
Priority date	Apr 14, 2022
Publication date	Oct 19, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electromagnetic actuator for an assembly, in particular in a motor vehicle, may be mounted on a fluid chamber, which is designed to be connected to the actuator for fluid transfer when the actuator is installed in the assembly, which has a moving armature in an armature chamber, where the armature has a moving armature rod, where the actuator is designed to fill the armature chamber with fluid, in particular oil, in that the armature rod moves such that fluid is drawn into the armature chamber from the fluid chamber through a fluid path when the armature rod is connected to the fluid chamber for fluid transfer, and where a flow resistance in the fluid path between the armature chamber and the fluid chamber can be set to a first resistance level or a second resistance level.

First claim

1 . An electromagnetic actuator for a motor vehicle, the electromagnetic actuator comprising:
an armature located in an armature chamber, wherein the armature has a moving armature rod, wherein the actuator is configured to fill the armature chamber with a fluid when the armature rod moves such that the fluid is drawn into the armature chamber from a fluid chamber of the motor vehicle via a fluid path when the armature rod is connected to the fluid chamber, and wherein a flow resistance in the fluid path between the armature chamber and the fluid chamber can be set to a first resistance level or a second resistance level.

2 . The electromagnetic actuator of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic actuator is mounted on the fluid chamber, and wherein the fluid chamber is fluidly connected to the actuator.

3 . The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid path is formed at least in part by at least one of an axial hole and a recess in the armature rod, a radial hole at the fluid chamber end of the armature rod, and a least one radial hole in the armature rod at the armature chamber end.

4 . The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the armature rod is radially encompassed by a core at the fluid chamber end, wherein a gap is located between the core and the armature rod which forms a segment of the fluid path, wherein the gap has a stepped longitudinal cross section that has a first step and a second step, with which the first and second flow resistance levels are obtained when the radial hole at the fluid chamber end is at the first or second step in the gap.

5 . The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 4 , wherein the longitudinal cross section of the gap also has a third step, which covers the radial hole at the fluid chamber end, and interrupts the fluid connection between the armature chamber and the fluid chamber.

6 . The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the armature chamber has a first fluid reservoir and second fluid reservoir, wherein the radial hole at the armature chamber end can be brought to the level of first fluid reservoir and the first and second fluid reservoirs can be connected for fluid transfer by a segment of the fluid path.

7 . The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 6 , wherein the fluid path between the first and second fluid reservoirs is obtained with an axial hole in an armature sheath that radially encompasses the armature rod, and the damping is defined in particular by the diameter of the axial hole in the armature sheath.

8 . The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 6 , wherein the armature rod has a first radial hole at the armature chamber end and a second radial hole at the armature chamber end, which form the fluid path with the axial hole or recess between the first and second fluid reservoirs, and the damping can be defined by the diameter of the radial holes.

9 . The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the actuator is configured to fill the armature chamber with fluid through a predefined number of axial movements.

10 . The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 9 , wherein the predefined number of axial movements includes less than three movements of the armature.

11 . The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 9 , wherein the predefined number of axial movements exactly one movement of the armature.

12 . The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the armature chamber has a discharge gap at an end lying opposite the fluid chamber, with which the armature chamber can be drained.

13 . The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a housing; a magnetic coil, which radially encompasses an interior chamber; a pole tube, which extends into the interior chamber encompassed by the coil; a core, which extends into the interior chamber encompassed by the coil and lies axially opposite the pole tube; the armature that can move axially inside the armature chamber; and a bearing, wherein at least the core and the pole tube form the armature chamber, wherein the armature sheath for the armature forms a choke between the first and second fluid reservoirs, wherein the armature rod is supported by the bearing, and wherein the pole tube and the bearing form the discharge gap.

14 . An assembly for a motor vehicle, the assembly having the fluid chamber and at least one electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1 .

15 . A method for filling an electromagnetic actuator with fluid, comprising:
filling a fluid chamber with fluid or installing the fluid chamber pre-filled with fluid; mounting the actuator on the fluid chamber; and at least partially filling an armature chamber of the electromagnetic actuator via one or more axial movements of an armature, the armature being located in an armature chamber and having a moving armature rod.

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Guldenschuh Dominik
• Moosmann Markus
• Diesch Markus
• Schreiber Florian
• Wassermann Ralph

Classifications

• H01F7/088 Primary

  provided with means for absorbing shocks · CPC title

• H01F7/1607 Primary

  Armatures entering the winding · CPC title

• F16K31/0693

  Pressure equilibration of the armature · CPC title

• H01F2007/163

  with axial bearing · CPC title

• F16K31/06 Primary

  using a magnet {, e.g. diaphragm valves, cutting off by means of a liquid} · CPC title