EP0843248B1 - A disengageable system for activating a functional element of a vehicle - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an activation system disengageable from a functional vehicle automobile.

More particularly, the invention relates to a system of the type comprising a pinion of which a portion toothed is adapted to cooperate with drive means, associated for example with an electric motor, and having a central recess in which is mounted rotating a tubular organ activation shaft functional, and in which a crew is arranged axially movable with a pin whose ends protrude radially on either side of the tree, in axial lights of it, and movable to against elastic biasing means, between a first clutch position, in which the radial protruding parts of the pin extend in corresponding radial recesses of the pinion and a second retracted position, in which the parts in radial projection of the pin extend out of the corresponding recesses of the pinion, to allow manual activation of the functional organ.

Such disengageable activation systems are already used for example in roof mechanisms opening of motor vehicles which are maneuverable either through an electric geared motor or manually in case of failure of this gearmotor.

In this case, since the training means must be irreversible for reasons of safety, the activation mechanism must be disengageable to allow manual activation by a user from inside the vehicle cabin.

For this purpose, the user has a tool any such as for example a crank it introduced into the tubular organ activation shaft functional to repel its mobile equipment, in order to release the radially projecting parts of the pin of the corresponding radial offsets of the pinion.

The user can then rotate the tree to operate the functional organ, insofar as it is decoupled from the drive means.

The mounting constraints of such a system make that the pin is simply engaged in a recess transverse of the moving part and in the lights axial of the tree and it is then necessary to provide in the system, means for holding the position of the pin in this moving assembly.

In the state of the art, these holding means in position are formed by an annular portion solid with the rest of the pinion, this portion annular extending around the central recess of this pinion to hold the pin in position.

However, we can see that this structure presents a certain number of drawbacks, particularly in terms of the complexity and therefore the cost of manufacturing such a pinion insofar as this must be achieved by machining.

To resolve these problems, the Applicant has proposed in French patent application No. 95 14 569, filed on December 8, 1995, to realize the means of support in the form of a force-fitted ring on a range of the pinion.

This document does not form part of the state of the art in the sense of Article 54 (2) EPC because it was not accessible to the public before the priority date of this application.

The object of the invention is to propose a variant making this ring to allow it to perform additional duties.

To this end, the invention relates to a system disengageable activation of a functional organ of motor vehicle, of the type comprising a pinion of which a toothed portion is adapted to cooperate with drive means and having a central recess, in which a tubular activation shaft is rotatably mounted of the functional organ, and in which is arranged an axially movable assembly provided with a pin whose ends protrude radially from the side and on the other side of the tree, in axial lights of it, and movable against means of solicitation elastic between a first clutch position, in which the radial protruding parts of the pin extend in corresponding radial recesses pinion and a second retracted position, in which the radial projections of the pin extend outside the corresponding recesses of the pinion, to allow manual activation of the organ functional and means for holding in position the pin in the moving part, characterized in that the holding means comprise a ring fitted to force on a span of the pinion and having poles magnetic of opposite polarities and in that a sensor magnetic is associated with this ring to deliver information relating to the rotation thereof.

Advantageously, the ring is made of plastoferrite.

• les figures 1 et 2 représentent des vues en coupe illustrant la structure d'un système d'activation débrayable selon l'invention, respectivement en position embrayée et en position débrayée.
• la figure 3 représente une vue de dessus d'une bague entrant dans la constitution d'un tel système.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, given solely by way of example and made with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• Figures 1 and 2 show sectional views illustrating the structure of a disengageable activation system according to the invention, respectively in the engaged position and in the disengaged position.
• Figure 3 shows a top view of a ring used in the constitution of such a system.

As can be seen in these figures, a disengageable activation system according to the invention can be used to activate a functional organ of a motor vehicle such as for example a sunroof.

In fact, this system has a designated gear by the general reference 1 in these figures, one of which toothed portion for example 2 is adapted to cooperate with training means designated by the reference general 3 in these figures.

These training means can for example include another pinion adapted to cooperate with a worm screw activated by an electric motor, by direct current example. .

Furthermore, this pinion 1 has a recess central designated by the general reference 4 on these figures, this central recess being adapted to receive rotating a tubular shaft for activating the organ functional designated by reference 5 in these figures, and in which is placed a mobile equipment designated by the general reference 6.

This mobile assembly can be moved axially in the tree and is provided with a pin designated by the general reference 7 whose ends protrude radially on either side of the tree through corresponding axial lights thereof.

In these figures, the radial protrusions of the pin are designated by the references 7a and 7b respectively and the axial lights of the shaft by the references 5a and 5b.

As illustrated in these figures, this moving part 6 and therefore this pin 7 are mounted movable against the action of means of solicitation elastic 8 formed for example by a spring housed in the tubular shaft, between a first position clutch shown in Figure 1, in which the radial projections 7a and 7b of the pin extend in radial recesses respectively 1a and 1b of the pinion 1 and a second retracted position of clutch, in which these projecting parts 7a, 7b of the pin extend out of the corresponding recesses 1a, 1b of the pinion, to allow activation manual of the functional organ.

This is for example obtained by the user in introducing an appropriately shaped tool such as that designated by the general reference 9 in these figures, in the tubular shaft 5, which allows on the one hand to push back the moving element 6 towards its retracted position and on the other hand to provide a training link between this tool 9 and the tubular shaft 5 to allow a manual activation of the functional organ connected to this tree.

Note that the tool and the tubular shaft can be threaded and tapped for allow the coupling of this tool and this shaft, this coupling then making it possible to repel very easily the moving part towards its retracted position.

As previously indicated, this allows for example manually operating a sunroof whose the electric activation motor has failed.

In this case, the roof actuation mechanism opening is connected to a pinion for example 10 provided on the tubular shaft 5, for example at its opposite end to that associated with the pinion 1.

However, we can see that because of this structure, pin 7 is simply engaged in a recess transverse of the moving part 6 and in the axial lights of the shaft 5 and that there is keep in position to prevent it from coming off of these parts during the operation of this system.

In the state of the art, the holding means in corresponding positions are formed by a annular portion of the pinion, machined therein to extend around the pin to keep it in position.

However, we understand that the machining of such gable is relatively complex in that there are also takes place in this one the recesses receiving radials of the projecting parts of this pin.

To solve these problems and as is illustrated in these figures, in the activation system according to the invention, the means for holding in position the pin include a ring designated by the reference general 11 in these figures, this ring being fitted by force on a bearing 12 of the pinion and extending around the pin to hold it in position.

We can then see that this structure allows greatly simplify the manufacture of this pinion and therefore reduce its manufacturing cost, insofar as this no longer comprising an annular portion coming from material extending around the pin, it can be performed by a technique other than machining such as for example by molding or the like.

Furthermore, this ring 11 can also present a succession of magnetic poles with polarities opposed. A type 13 magnetic sensor by example Hall effect, can then be associated with this ring to detect its rotation and deliver rotation information corresponding to means processing (not shown).

This ring can for example be made in plastoferrite, and magnetized conventionally for obtain the corresponding magnetic poles.

The sensor output information is usable to control the functioning of the system activation in the conventional way.

Claims (2)

1. Disengageable system for activating a functional element on a motor vehicle, of the type comprising a pinion (1) of which a toothed portion (2) is adapted to co-operate with driving means (3) and having a central opening (4), in which is rotatably mounted a tubular spindle (5) for operating the functional element, and in which is mounted an axially movable component (6) provided with a cotter pin (7) of which the ends (7a, 7b) project radially from one side and the other of the spindle, in axial openings (5a,5b) in the latter, and displaceable against the action of elastic load-applying means (8) between a first engaged position in which the radially projecting parts (7a, 7b) of the pin (7) extend into corresponding radial notches (1a, 1b) in the pinion (1) and a second retracted position in which the radially projecting parts (7a, 7b ) of the pin (7) extend clear of the corresponding notches (1a, 1b) in the pinion (1) to allow manual operation of the functional element, and means (11) for maintaining the pin (7) in the movable component (6), characterised in that the maintaining means comprise a ring (11) forcibly shrunk onto a boss (12) on the pinion and having magnetic poles of alternating polarity and in that a magnetic pick-up (13) is associated with this ring to deliver information relating to the rotation of the latter.
2. System according to Claim 1, characterised in that the ring is made of ferrite-impregnated plastics.

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