Shape memory actuator device for a rearview device of a motor vehicle with reduced cooling times

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9689380-B2
Application number	US-201615165417-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2016
Priority date	May 29, 2015
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

An actuator device for a rearview device of a motor vehicle includes at least one retaining element, at least one adjusting element, at least one driving means, and at least one heat-conducting means. The adjusting element is configured to be transferred into a plurality of functional positions, in particular from a basic position into at least one end position. The driving means includes at least one shape-memory element in the form of a wire, extending between the retaining element and the adjusting element and configured to be secured to both. Extension of the shape-memory element can be modified when electrically energized. The adjusting element can be transferred from one functional position into another functional position by modifying the extension. The heat-conducting means lies in contact with the driving means at least in the end position of the adjusting element. At least one switching means provides no contact between the driving means and the heat-conducting means in the basic position of the adjusting element and causes contact between the driving means and the heat-conducting means.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An actuator device for a rearview device of a motor vehicle comprising:
at least one retaining element;
at least one adjusting element which can be transferred into a plurality of functional positions comprising a basic position and at least one end position;
at least one driving means which comprises at least one shape-memory element which is in the form of a wire and extends between the retaining element and the adjusting element and is secured to both, where the extension of said shape-memory element is modified on being actuated and by means of the modification of the extension of which the at least one adjusting element is transferred from one functional position into another functional position;
at least one heat-conducting means which lies in contact with the driving means at least in the end position of the adjusting element; and
at least one switching means, by means of which the at least one driving means and the at least one heat-conducting means are arranged with respect to one another with no contact in the basic position of the adjusting element and by means of which the at least one driving means and the at least one heat-conducting means are arranged touching one another at least in sections at least in the end position of the adjusting element;
wherein the heat-conducting means is stationary and the driving means is moved transversely or obliquely to the extension of the driving means between the retaining element and the adjusting element by the switching means; and
the switching means is configured as a joint component with the adjusting element and comprises a shaping of a surface section of the adjusting element, wherein the driving means lies in contact with a point of contact of the surface section of the adjusting element such that the driving means is positioned relative to the heat-conducting means as the adjusting element transitions from the basic position into the end position.

2. The actuator device according to claim 1 , wherein the switching means and the adjusting element comprise joint kinematics and a transfer of the adjusting element from the basic position into the end position automatically comprises a transfer from a non-contact arrangement of the driving means to the heat-conducting means into an arrangement of the driving means and heat-conducting means where they touch one another.

3. The actuator device according to claim 1 , wherein the driving means, on transferring the adjusting element from the basic position into the end position, is moved in the direction of the heat-conducting means by the joint component.

4. The actuator device according to claim 3 , wherein the adjusting element, on modifying the extension of the at least one driving means, is transferred from the basic position into the end position by at least one of being rotated about an axis of rotation, a linear movement, and rotating the adjusting element about the axis of rotation such that the distance between the axis of rotation and the point of contact of the surface section is modified.

5. The actuator device according to claim 4 , wherein the surface section of the adjusting element is formed by an external contour which is at least one of rounded and straight, at least in sections.

6. The actuator device according to claim 3 , wherein the surface section of the adjusting element is formed by an external contour which is at least one of rounded and straight, at least in sections.

7. The actuator device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one driving means is configured to be at least one of secured to the surface section of the adjusting element by a securing element and positioned in contact with the surface section of the adjusting element between the point of contact and the securing element, wherein the point of contact can be modified by transferring the adjusting element and the securing element.

8. The actuator device according to claim 7 , wherein the surface section of the adjusting element is formed by an external contour which is at least one of rounded and straight, at least in sections.

9. The actuator device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one return means which biases the adjusting element into the basic position.

10. The actuator device according to claim 1 , wherein the heat-conducting means comprises a continuous recess which extends substantially parallel to the driving means, inside which recess the driving means is arranged extending between the retaining element and the adjusting element and with the inner surface of which the driving means lies in contact in the end position of the adjusting element.

11. The actuator device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one electrically insulating and thermally conducting element arranged between the driving means and the heat-conducting means.

12. The actuator device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one cooling element lies directly in contact with the driving means and at least virtually enclosing the driving means in its entirety.

13. The actuator device according to claim 12 , wherein at least one of the heat-conducting means and the cooling element comprises one of a silicon-based plastic, an iron-based metal, and a copper-based metal.

14. The actuator device according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one cooling rib which is configured to be thermally connected to the heat-conducting means, by means of which cooling rib heat can be released into the surroundings by at least one of convection and forced convection.

15. The actuator device according to claim 14 , wherein at least one of the heat-conducting means and the at least one cooling rib comprises one of a silicon-based plastic, an iron-based metal, and a copper-based metal.

16. The actuator device according to claim 1 , wherein the heat-conducting means, comprises one of a silicon-based plastic, an iron-based metal, and a copper-based metal.

17. A rearview device configured as at least one of an interior mirror, an exterior mirror, and a camera, for a motor vehicle having at least one actuator device according to claim 1 .

18. A motor vehicle having at least one rearview device configured as at least one of an interior mirror, an exterior mirror, and a camera having at least one actuator device according to claim 1 .

19. The actuator device according to claim 1 wherein the heat-conducting means is configured in a strip or plate form and with the external surface of which the driving means lies in contact in the end position of the adjusting element.

Assignees

• Smr Patents Sarl

Inventors

• Wieczorek Romeo

Classifications

• B60R1/02

  Rear-view mirror arrangements (periscope arrangements B60R1/10) · CPC title

• B60R1/062 Primary

  with remote control for adjusting position {(B60R1/0607 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R1/04

  mounted inside vehicle {(B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R1/07

  by electrically powered actuators · CPC title

• B60R2001/1253

  with cameras, video cameras or video screens · CPC title