System for opening and closing a flap

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9394738-B2
Application number	US-201414189561-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2014
Priority date	Nov 13, 2007
Publication date	Jul 19, 2016
Grant date	Jul 19, 2016

Abstract

A system for opening and closing a motor vehicle, the flap is swivalably mounted along one of its edge areas at a stationary structural component part about a horizontal swiveling axis. A first drive device and a second drive device act in parallel to more like flap from a closed position into an open position. The first drive device is a non-self-locking drive device, and the second drive device comprises a cylinder filled with a fluid under pressure. An interior of the second drive device is divided by a piston into a first work chamber and a second work chamber, wherein a piston rod of the piston is guided outward through the first work chamber. A valve arrangement in the piston closes a flow connection between the first work chamber and the second work chamber in a stationary operating state of the flap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for opening and closing a flap for a motor vehicle, the flap being mounted along a mounting edge of the flap at a stationary structural component of the motor vehicle for swiveling movement around a swiveling axis between a closed position and an open position, the system comprising:
a non-self-locking drive device coupled between the flap and the stationary structural component, the non-self-locking drive device being an electromechanical drive device, the non-self-locking drive device comprising:
a tubular housing that is closed at one end by a base piece;
a first connecting element coupled to the base piece;
a second connecting element arranged at a second end of the tubular housing opposite the closed end;
a rotary drive arranged inside the housing proximate to the closed end; and
a spindle configured to be driven by the rotary drive to axially change a distance between the first and the second connecting elements; and

a second drive device acting in parallel with the non-self-locking drive device, the second drive device selected from the group consisting of a hydraulic, pneumatic, and hydropneumatic drive device, the second drive device comprising:
a cylinder having a closed end articulated at one of the stationary structural component and the flap at a distance from the swiveling axis, the cylinder being at least partially filled with a fluid under pressure;
a piston that divides an interior of the cylinder into a first work chamber and a second work chamber;
an axially extending groove formed in the cylinder proximate to the closed end of the cylinder and configured to increase fluid flow when the piston approaches the closed end of the cylinder, the groove having a first slope leading into the groove proximate to the closed end of the cylinder and a second slope leading into the grove remote from the closed end of the cylinder, wherein the first slope is steeper than the second slope;
a piston rod having a first end coupled to the piston, a second end of the piston rod being guided through and out of the first work chamber and articulated at the other of the one of the flap or the stationary structural component at a distance from the swiveling axis;
a sealing and guiding package adapted to guide the piston rod through and out of the first work chamber;
a valve arrangement forming a fluid flow connection between the first work chamber and the second work chamber;
wherein the valve arrangement is closed when the flap is stationary, and
wherein the non-self-locking drive device is arranged at a first edge of the flap and the second drive device is arranged at a second edge of the flap opposite the first edge of the flap, each edge extending at substantially a right angle from the swiveling axis,
whereby the fluid flow, as the flap enters and exits the closed position, bypasses the valve arrangement via the axially extending groove;
a first spring receiving part arranged at the second end of the piston rod;
a second spring receiving part arranged at the closed end of the cylinder; and
a spring arranged coaxially around an outside of a housing of the second drive device and fixed to and disposed between the first and the second spring receiving parts to increases an extension force of the second drive device.

2. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 1 , wherein the flap is selected from the group consisting of a hatchback, a trunk hood, a door, and an engine hood.

3. The system for opening and closing a flap according claim 1 , wherein the flap is supported along the mounting edge so as to be substantially vertical in the closed position and substantially horizontal in the open position.

4. The system for opening and closing a flap according claim 1 , wherein the non-self-locking drive device comprises:
the spindle which comprises a threaded spindle coupled to the rotary drive and adapted to rotatably drive the threaded spindle, the threaded spindle coupled to one of the flap and the stationary structural component; and
a spindle nut arranged on the threaded spindle coupled to the other of the one of the stationary structural component and the flap not coupled to the threaded spindle.

5. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 4 , further comprising a non-self-locking gear unit coupled between the threaded spindle and the rotary drive.

6. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 4 , wherein the rotary drive is an electric motor.

7. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 4 , further comprising the tubular housing in which at least the rotary drive, the threaded spindle, and the spindle nut are arranged.

8. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 4 , further comprising a spindle tube adapted to enclose the threaded spindle, the spindle tube being connected to the spindle nut at an axial end of the spindle tube closer to the rotary drive and being coupled to one of the stationary structural component and the flap at the axial end of the spindle tube remote of the rotary drive.

9. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 7 , further comprising a protective tube connected to the spindle nut on an end area of the tubular housing remote from the rotary drive and coupled to the stationary structural component or flap by an end of the protective tube remote from the rotary drive.

10. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 1 , wherein the second drive device is a gas spring, the first work chamber and second work chamber being filled with a gas under pressure.

11. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 10 , further comprising a piston rod extension extending from the second end of the piston rod, wherein the piston, the piston rod, and the piston rod extension are arranged coaxial to the cylinder.

12. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 11 , further comprising a second piston arranged at the end of the piston rod extension.

13. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 12 , wherein the pistons each have a closing spring, wherein the closing springs having substantially identical or different spring forces.

14. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 1 , wherein the cylinder of the second drive device has a dividing piston, the dividing piston being axially displaceable in the cylinder defining a partial space between the closed end of the cylinder and the second work chamber in the cylinder,
wherein the partial space is filled with a gas under pressure.

15. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 4 , wherein the first work chamber and second work chamber are filled with an incompressible fluid.

16. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 15 , wherein the incompressible fluid is an oil.

17. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 1 , wherein the valve arrangement includes a closing valve having a valve element by which three switching positions can be occupied, wherein, proceeding from a middle closed switching position, a first opening position can be occupied by the valve element in one direction from the middle closed switching position and a second open position can be occupied by the valve element in an other direction opposite the one direction.

18. The system for opening and closing a flap according to claim 1 , wherein the valve arrangement is an electrically controllable magnetic valve.

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Assignees

• Bochen Marian
• Doffing Frank
• Mintgen Rolf
• Reif Thomas
• Stabilus Gmbh

Inventors

• Bochen Marian
• Doffing Frank
• Mintgen Rolf
• Reif Thomas

Classifications

• E05F15/611

  for swinging wings · CPC title

• B60J5/102

  comprising door or part of door being pivotable downwards about horizontal axis to open position · CPC title

• E05Y2900/546

  Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening upwards · CPC title

• E05F15/616 Primary

  operated by push-pull mechanisms · CPC title

• E05F15/53 Primary

  for swinging wings · CPC title