Spindle drive for an adjustment element of a motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9291194-B2
Application number	US-201214368203-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 11, 2012
Priority date	Dec 23, 2011
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A spindle drive for an adjusting element of a motor vehicle includes a drive motor with a spindle-spindle nut gear arranged downstream for producing a drive force along a geometric spindle axis. Two connectors are provided for transferring the drive force and at least one connector includes a ball joint with a ball socket and an assigned ball. The ball socket includes a ball socket housing with a connecting piece. It is proposed that the ball socket in the ball socket housing has a damping shell and a bearing shell in the damping shell for the positive engagement with the ball so that the flux of force for the drive force passes via the damping shell and the bearing shell.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A spindle drive for an adjusting element of a motor vehicle comprising a drive motor with a spindle-spindle nut gear arranged downstream for producing a drive force along a geometric spindle axis, wherein two connectors are provided for transferring the drive force and wherein at least one connector comprises a ball joint with a ball socket and an assigned ball, wherein the ball socket comprises a ball socket housing with a connecting piece, wherein the ball socket in the ball socket housing has a damping shell and a bearing shell in the damping shell for the positive engagement with the ball so that the flux of force for the drive force passes via the damping shell and the bearing shell,
wherein the bearing shell is assigned a plurality of retaining elements for retaining the ball in the bearing shell, the plurality of retaining elements being arranged over the periphery of the ball,
wherein the plurality of retaining elements are able to be deflected out of a retaining position such that the ball is able to be inserted into the bearing shell by deflecting the plurality of retaining elements, and
wherein the plurality of retaining elements is designed and arranged such that a deflection of the plurality of retaining elements is associated with resilient deformation of the damping shell.

2. The spindle drive as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the material of the bearing shell has a greater hardness and/or a lower frictional value than the material of the damping shell.

3. The spindle drive as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the damping shell is inserted into the ball socket housing or is injection-molded in a plastics injection-molding process, and/or the bearing shell is inserted into the damping shell or injection-molded in the plastics injection-molding process.

4. The spindle drive as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a locking arrangement is provided for locking the at plurality of retaining elements in its retaining position.

5. The spindle drive as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the locking arrangement has a clamp arrangement which is able to be inserted into the ball socket, which blocks deflection of the plurality of elements out of its retaining position.

6. The spindle drive as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the clamp arrangement is engaged with the damping shell and blocks the deflection of the plurality of retaining elements via the damping shell.

7. The spindle drive as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the clamp arrangement retains the damping shell in the ball socket housing.

8. The spindle drive as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the ball socket housing comprises a receiver.

9. The spindle drive as claimed in claim 5 , wherein the clamp arrangement is designed as a wire clamp.

10. The spindle drive as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the wire clamp is of substantially U-shaped design and with both of its free ends is able to be inserted into corresponding openings of the ball socket housing.

11. The spindle drive as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the adjusting element is a tailgate, a trunk lid, an engine hood, a side door, a luggage compartment flap, or a lifting roof of a motor vehicle.

12. The spindle drive as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a plurality of retaining elements are arranged uniformly over the periphery of the ball.

13. The spindle drive as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of retaining elements has a hinge pin mounted in the bearing shell or is configured as a film hinge which is formed integrally from the bearing shell.

14. The spindle drive as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the plurality of retaining elements engages in a hook-like manner in the damping shell and, as result, secures the bearing shell together with the ball against being pulled out.

15. A ball socket for a ball joint for transferring drive force, wherein a ball socket housing is provided with a connecting piece,
wherein a damping shell is provided in the ball socket housing and a bearing shell for the positive engagement with the assigned ball is provided in the damping shell, so that the flux of force for the drive force passes via the damping shell and the bearing shell,
wherein the bearing shell is assigned a plurality of retaining elements for retaining the ball in the bearing shell, the retaining elements being arranged over the periphery of the ball,
wherein the plurality of retaining elements is able to be deflected out of a retaining position such that the ball is able to be inserted into the bearing shell by deflecting the plurality of retaining elements, and
wherein the plurality of retaining elements is designed and arranged such that a deflection of the plurality of retaining elements is associated with resilient deformation of the damping shell.

16. The ball socket as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the material of the bearing shell has a greater hardness and/or a lower frictional value than the material of the damping shell.

Assignees

• Brose Fahrzeugteile

Inventors

• Strobel Ulrich
• Kosmala Daniela

Classifications

• E05Y2600/502

  Clamping · CPC title

• Y10T403/32631

  Universal ball and socket · CPC title

• E05Y2600/60

  Mounting or coupling members; Accessories therefor · CPC title

• E05Y2800/122

  Telescopic action · CPC title

• E05Y2600/524

  Friction · CPC title