WO2018069188A1

WO2018069188A1 - Device for braking the movement of a closing device

Info

Publication number: WO2018069188A1
Application number: PCT/EP2017/075515
Authority: WO
Inventors: Markus Herdering; Michael Linner; Janosch Jordan; Christian Zammert
Original assignee: Witte Automotive Gmbh
Priority date: 2016-10-12
Filing date: 2017-10-06
Publication date: 2018-04-19
Also published as: DE102016119467A1; EP3494269A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for braking the movement of a closing device, in particular of a motor vehicle, comprising an arrester strap which has a longitudinal centre axis and is intended for limiting the movement of the closing device; at least one braking lever which is mounted such that it can be deflected about a deflection axis and which has an actuating portion and a clamping portion which can be deflected in the direction of the arrester strap; and a counter-bearing which, together with the clamping portion, serves for clamping the arrester strap, characterized by at least one inductive sensor which is designed to detect one of the following parameters: a position of the arrester strap, a deflection of the braking lever, and an axial force which acts on the arrester strap and which is directed at least approximately parallel to the longitudinal centre axis of the arrester strap.

Description

Device for braking the movement of a closing device

The present invention relates to a device for braking the movement of a closing device, in particular of a motor vehicle, with a longitudinal center axis having a tether for limiting the movement of the closing device. To brake the tether, the device may for example comprise at least one brake lever.

Tethers are used to limit the movement of a closing device, such as a side door, tailgate or hood of a motor vehicle, and thus define a maximum opening position of the closing device. Sometimes there is a desire to brake the movement of the closing device prematurely, ie before the maximum open position is reached, in order to avoid a collision of the closing device with an object located in an opening region of the closing device, for example a wall or another motor vehicle. For this it is necessary to know an exact position of the closing device. In addition, to carry out an effective braking operation, a current deflection of the brake lever of interest. Moreover, it may be useful to determine a force acting on the closing device, such as a force caused by wind load and / or the force acting on the closure weight in a tilted motor vehicle. An object of the invention is therefore to provide a device of the type mentioned, in which the aforementioned properties can be determined precisely and reliably. To solve the problem, a device having the features of claim 1 is provided.

The device according to the invention for braking the movement of a closing device, in particular of a motor vehicle, comprises an electrically conductive material comprehensive and a longitudinal central axis exhibiting tether for limiting the movement of the closing, at least one brake lever, which is mounted deflectable about a deflection axis and which an actuating portion and a in Having direction of the tether deflectable clamping portion, and an abutment, which serves together with the clamping portion for clamping the tether. The device further comprises at least one inductive sensor, which is designed to detect one of the following parameters: a position of the tether, a deflection of the brake lever, an axial force acting on the tether, which is directed at least approximately parallel to the longitudinal center axis of the tether.

The invention is based on the general idea to determine a position of the tether, a deflection of the brake lever and / or acting on the tether axial force with the aid of an inductive sensor. Since the tether is connected to the closing device, it is possible to deduce the position of the tether on a position of the closing device. It is likewise possible to determine a force acting on the closing device by determining the axial force acting on the tether. In addition, an inductive sensor can also be used to detect a deflection of the brake lever. Inn generally generates an inductive sensor by means of an electrical resonant circuit an electromagnetic field, which causes eddy currents in a conductive material, such as a metal or an electrically conductive plastic, whereby the oscillation properties of the electrical resonant circuit change. In this case, the change in the oscillation properties of the distance of the sensor to the electrically conductive material, depending on the amount of electrically conductive material and material properties of the electrically conductive material. By detecting the mentioned parameters there is the advantage that the closing device can be braked in good time if required. Thus, for example, it is possible to prevent the closing device from colliding with an object located in the opening region and / or that the closing device is unintentionally greatly accelerated as a result of a force acting on it, for example, from outside. An unintentionally strong acceleration of the closing device can, for example, when opening the closing device cause that upon reaching the maximum open position bearing points of the closing device are claimed on the measures. Moreover, by determining the axial force, a powerful slamming or closing of the closing device can be detected, which makes it possible to still moderately close the closing device by braking the catching strap and thereby in turn causing premature wear of the closing device and a noise occurring when the closing device closes. reduce development.

Furthermore, with the aid of an inductive sensor, a force exerted by the user on the closing device can also be detected, so that in the case of a catching strap clamped by the brake lever, the brake lever is released can to allow movement of the closing device by the user.

Since inductive sensors are largely insensitive to environmental influences, a reliable function of these sensors and thus the device as a whole is permanently ensured. In addition, an inductive sensor can be easily integrated into the device due to its compact design, without undue stress on space, which contributes to a compact overall design of the device.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims, the description and the drawings.

A particularly compact construction of the device can be achieved, for example, if a sensor for detecting the position of the tether (hereinafter position sensor) is arranged in a fixed position for the tether passage of a mounting unit of the device.

Advantageously, as seen in the direction of the longitudinal center axis of the tether, the electrically conductive material is distributed differently on or in the tether. Additionally or alternatively, an amount of the electrically conductive material along the longitudinal center axis of the tether in the direction of one end of the tether increase, in particular continuously increase. It is understood that the electrically conductive material can also be present in segments of different sizes and / or different distances. It is also conceivable that each segment may have an electrically conductive material with different electrical conductivity.

Due to the different distribution and / or amount of the electrically conductive material, differently strong eddy currents in the electrically conductive like to induce material, whereby the oscillation properties of the electrical resonant circuit of the position sensor change in a characteristic manner and so ultimately an exact position of the tether relative to the sensor can be determined.

Since the electromagnetic field generated by the inductive sensor decreases with increasing distance to the inductive sensor and thus, depending on the distance different eddy currents are generated in the electrically conductive material, the position of the tether can be determined even if a position sessssensor and a top of the electrically conductive material are at a distance from each other and the distance is changed in a movement of the tether in the direction of its longitudinal central axis.

A different distance between the position sensor and the upper side of the electrically conductive material can be realized, for example, by the tether comprising a base body of electrically conductive material, the top of which runs obliquely to a direction of movement of the tether. If the direction of movement and the longitudinal central axis of the tether are substantially rectified, then the top of the conductive material in this case also extends obliquely to the longitudinal central axis.

Additionally or alternatively, the tether may include a base body of electrically conductive material, which is wedge-shaped in the direction of the longitudinal center axis of the tether. In this case, the basic body can have different cross-sectional shapes, such as, for example, a U-shaped, T-shaped, H-shaped or rectangular cross-section. In particular, in the case of a U-shaped, T-shaped or H-shaped cross-section of the base body, the horizontal section of the U, T or H form can run between the clamping section of the brake lever and the anvil and the vertical sections of the U, T or H shape can be seen wedge-shaped seen in the direction of the longitudinal center axis of the tether.

According to a further embodiment, the base body may be embedded in non-electrically conductive material, for example in an insulating plastic or ceramic sheath of the tether. In this case, the outer surfaces of the plastic or ceramic sheath, which at the same time form the clamping surface and the abutment facing outer surfaces of the tether, preferably at least approximately aligned parallel to each other.

The base body embedded in the plastic or ceramic sheath, unlike the wedge-shaped base body described above, can have at least approximately constant dimensions along its longitudinal central axis. In this case, however, the main body should be embedded obliquely with respect to the longitudinal center axis of the tether in the non-electrically conductive material so that there is a changing distance seen between the position sensor and the electrically conductive material in the direction of the longitudinal central axis of the tether. Furthermore, a sensor for detecting an axial force acting on the tether (hereinafter force sensor) may be provided which detects a deflection of a first lever arm of a two-armed lever. The deflection of the first lever arm is caused by a movement of a second lever arm of the two-armed lever, which is connected to the anvil. In this case, the first lever arm may be formed longer than the second lever arm, so that a small movement of the second lever arm causes a large deflection of the first lever arm, whereby the sensitivity of the force measurement is increased. Advantageously, the first lever arm has an electrically conductive material at least in a region facing the sensor for detecting the axial force. Preferably, the lever and the anvil are at least approximately aligned perpendicular to each other and the anvil extends at least approximately parallel to the longitudinal center axis of the tether.

In order to determine the deflection of the brake lever, it is advantageous if the brake lever, at least in the region of a stationary mounted sensor for detecting the deflection of the brake lever (hereinafter deflection sensor) comprises an electrically conductive material. Alternatively, the deflection sensor may also be attached to the brake lever and detect a distance to a stationary arranged in the detection range of the deflection sensor electrical material.

By ascertaining the deflection of the brake lever, it is possible to detect, for example, whether the safety strap is clamped by the clamping portion of the brake lever, or whether the safety strap, if not held by the clamping portion, is otherwise blocked. In addition, knowing the deflection of the brake lever can save electricity required for the electrical deflection of the brake lever, since only as much power is consumed, as is actually required for a certain deflection of the brake lever. A particularly compact design of the device can be advantageously realized when the deflection sensor detects the deflection of the brake lever in a region which is arranged between the actuating portion and the clamping portion. Preferably, the device comprises a control unit which is designed to detect signals from the at least one sensor and to generate a control signal for a drive of the brake lever as a function of the detected signals.

The control unit may further receive data from other sensors. For example, another sensor may detect environmental factors, such as moisture. Moreover, the control unit may be connected to a sensor which detects objects in the immediate vicinity of the closing device and in particular in the opening region of the closing device.

The invention will be described purely by way of example with reference to possible embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

1 shows a perspective partial sectional view of a device according to the invention according to a first embodiment;

2 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a device according to the invention in accordance with a second embodiment.

Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a device for braking a closing device, not shown here, in particular a side door of a motor vehicle. The device comprises an electrically conductive tether 10 having a longitudinal central axis A, a brake lever 12 and an abutment 14. The brake lever 12 is mounted so as to be deflectable about a deflection axis C and has an actuating section 16 and a clamping section 18. The counter-bearing 14 is used together with the clamping portion 18 for clamping the tether 10. In the present embodiment, the brake lever 12 is disposed below the tether 10 and the anvil 14 above the tether 10. In principle, however, the brake lever 12 can also be arranged on the other side above the tether 10 and the counter bearing 14 below the tether 10. The tether 10 serves to limit an opening movement of the closing device and has for this purpose at its one end a stop 20, which defines a maximum open position of the closing device. At its other end, which is opposite to the stop 20 in the direction of the longitudinal center axis A of the tether 10, the tether 10 is rotatably mounted on a frame, not shown here of the motor vehicle about an at least approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis A of the tether 10 rotational axis B, in the present Embodiment to an at least approximately vertical axis of rotation B. The brake lever 12 and the anvil 14 are fixedly attached to the closing such that the brake lever 12 and the anvil 14 move during a movement of the closing along the tether 10. It is understood, however, that the other way around, the brake lever 12 and the anvil 14 mounted on the frame of the motor vehicle stationary and the tether 10 can be rotatably mounted on the closing device.

For attaching the brake lever 12 and counter bearing 14 on the closing device, the device has a mounting unit 22 with a passage 24 for the tether 10. In the passage 24, an inductive sensor 26 for detecting the position of the tether 10 (hereinafter position sensor 26) is arranged stationary.

The tether 10 has a main body 28 of electrically conductive material, which is embedded in a sheath 30 made of a non-electrically conductive material, such as plastic. The main body 28 has in the rich of the stop 20 on an upwardly curved top 32, which gradually flattens in the direction of the axis of rotation B of the tether 10. In the area of the axis of rotation B, the upper side 32 of the basic body 28 is at least approximately planar. As a result of the flattening curvature of the upper side 32, a distance between the position sensor 26 and the upper side 32 changes as the tether 10 moves past the mounting unit 22 and thus past the position sensor 26. In the present embodiment, the distance decreases when the tether 10 in Fig. 1 to the right, that is, so the stop 20 moves toward the mounting unit 22.

Further, the mounting unit 22 is used to support the brake lever 12, wherein the bearing point of the brake lever 12 on the mounting unit 22 defines the deflection axis C of the brake lever 12. For actuating the actuating portion 16 of the brake lever 12, a drive 34 is provided, which is formed here in the form of an electric motor. A rotational movement of the drive 34 is converted via a transmission 36 into a deflection of the actuating portion 16 and thus ultimately in a deflection of the brake lever 12 in total, which detected by an inductive sensor 38 for detecting a deflection of the brake lever 12 (hereinafter deflection sensor 38) becomes. For this purpose, the brake lever 12 in an area 40 of the brake lever 12, which is formed between the actuating portion 16 and the clamping portion 18, an electrically conductive material. The deflection sensor 38 is fixedly attached to a housing 42 in the illustrated embodiment, which surrounds the drive 34 and the gear 36 and protects against external influences, such as dust and / or moisture. It is understood that the deflection sensor 38 but could also be attached to the brake lever 12 and, for example, the housing 42 then electrically should have conductive material in the detection range of the deflection sensor 38.

Furthermore, the anvil 14 is formed in the passage 24 of the mounting unit 22 on a bearing arm 44 which extends at least approximately parallel to the longitudinal center axis A of the tether 10 and which is supported by a web 46 on a side facing away from the tether 10. The web 46 also ensures that a formed between the bearing arm 44 and the mounting unit 22 gap from contamination, for example, abrasion of the anvil 14 and / or the tether 10, is protected.

The anvil 14 is connected by the bearing arm 44 with a two-armed lever 48 which is aligned perpendicular to the anvil 14 and the bearing arm 44 (FIG. 2) and which is located on a side facing away from the tether 10 of the anvil 14.

The lever 48 comprises a free first lever arm 50 and a second lever arm 52 connected to the bearing arm 44. The first lever arm 50 has a region 56 which faces away from a bearing point 54 of the lever 48 and which comprises an electrically conductive material. The region 56 is opposed by an inductive sensor 58 (hereinafter force sensor 58), which detects a deflection of the first lever arm 50, which is caused by acting on the tether 10 axial force, which via the anvil 14, the bearing arm 44 and the second Lever arm 52 is transmitted to the first lever arm 50. For a higher accuracy of the force measurement, the first lever arm 50 has a greater length than the second lever arm 52.

FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a device according to the invention, which differs from the first embodiment, in the manner of the fishing band. of the 10 differs and the other in that the anvil 14 extends deeper into the passage 24.

The tether 10 according to the second embodiment is formed solely by the main body 28, i. the main body 28 is not embedded in a non-conductive material unlike the first embodiment. On the other hand, the base body 28 has a U-shaped cross section, wherein a base 60 of the U-shaped main body 28 extends between the clamping portion 18 and the anvil 14. From the base 60 resulting legs 62 of the U-shaped body 28 have seen in the direction of the longitudinal center axis A of the tether 10 each have a varying height relative to the base 60 of the body 28. Specifically, the height of the legs 62 continuously increases in the direction of the stop 20. The operation of the position sensor 26, the deflection sensor 28 and the force sensor 58 will be explained below.

If the tether 10 is moved in the direction of its longitudinal central axis A, then the distance between the inductive position sensor 26 and the upper side 32 of the electrically conductive main body 28 changes, as a result of which the oscillation properties of the oscillatory circuit of the position sensor 26 change. By changing the oscillation properties can thus be deduced the position of the tether 10 and thus ultimately on a position of the tether 10 connected to the closing device.

If the distance between the position sensor 26 and the upper side 32 of the main body 28 is low, stronger eddy currents are induced in the main body 28, whereby more energy is transferred from the resonant circuit of the position sensor 26 to the main body 28 of the brake lever 12 and the oscillation of the oscillatory circuit is damped , Does the distance between the upper and lower page 32 of the body 28 and the position sensor 26, so less energy is transmitted to the body 28 and less damped the oscillation of the resonant circuit. Similarly, when the brake lever 12 is deflected in the direction away from the inductive displacement sensor 38, less eddy currents are induced in the electrically conductive region 40 of the brake lever 12, whereby less energy is transferred from the oscillation circuit of the deflection sensor 38 to the electrically conductive region 40 of the brake lever 12 and thus the oscillation of the resonant circuit is less damped. The position of the brake lever 12 can thus be detected via the change in the oscillation properties.

In order to detect an axial force acting on the tether 10, the anvil 14 is frictionally engaged with the tether 10. If a force is exerted on the tether 10 in the axial direction, ie in the direction of the longitudinal center axis of the tether 10, the abutment 14 and thus also the second lever arm 52 are deflected in the axial direction. This deflection is transmitted to the first lever arm 50 and reinforced due to the greater compared to the second lever arm 52 length of the first lever arm 50, whereby by the inductive force sensor 58 and minimal axial forces can be detected.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 tether

12 brake levers

14 counter bearings

16 operating section

18 clamping section

20 stop

22 assembly unit

24 passage

26 position sensor

28 basic body

30 sheathing

32 top

34 drive

36 gears

38 deflection sensor

40 area

42 housing

44 bearing arm

46 footbridge

48 levers

50 first lever arm

52 second lever arm

54 storage location

56 area

58 force sensor

60 basis

62 thighs

A longitudinal central axis

B rotation axis

C deflection axis

Claims

claims

Device for braking the movement of a closing device, in particular of a motor vehicle, with

a tether (10) comprising an electrically conductive material and having a longitudinal central axis for limiting the movement of the closing device,

at least one brake lever (12) which is mounted deflectable about a deflection axis (A) and which has an actuating portion (16) and a in the direction of the tether (10) deflectable clamping portion (18), and

an abutment (14) which serves together with the clamping portion (18) for clamping the tether (10),

marked by

at least one inductive sensor (26, 38, 58), which is designed to detect one of the following parameters:

a position of the tether (10);

- A deflection of the brake lever (12);

- An acting on the tether (10) axial force which is directed at least approximately parallel to the longitudinal central axis (A) of the tether (10).

Device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that e

the device comprises an assembly unit (22) in which a passage (24) for the tether (10) is provided, in which a sensor (26) for detecting the position of the tether (10) is fixedly arranged. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2,

By doing so, that is

the electrically conductive material in the direction of the longitudinal central axis (A) of

Tether (10) seen differently at or in the tether (10) is distributed.

an amount of the electrically conductive material increases along the longitudinal central axis (A) of the tether (10) in the direction of one end of the tether (10), in particular continuously increases.

a sensor (26) for detecting the position of the tether (10) and a top (32) of the electrically conductive material are at a distance from each other, which changes in a movement of the tether (10) in the direction of its longitudinal central axis (A).

the tether (10) comprises a main body (28) made of electrically conductive material whose upper side (32) extends obliquely to a direction of movement of the tether (10).

the tether (10) comprises a main body (28) made of electrically conductive material, which is wedge-shaped when viewed in a direction of the longitudinal central axis (A) of the tether (10).

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 or 7,

By doing so, that is

the base body (28) is embedded in non-electrically conductive material.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8,

By doing so, that is

the base body (28) has an at least approximately constant thickness and is embedded obliquely in the non-electrically conductive material with respect to the longitudinal center axis (A) of the tether (10).

10. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims,

By doing so, that is

a sensor (58) for detecting an axial force acting on the tether (10) a deflection of a first lever arm (50) of a two-armed

Levers (48) detected, the second lever arm (52) is connected to the anvil (14).

11. The device according to claim 10,

By doing so, that is

the first lever arm (50) has an electrically conductive material at least in a region (56) facing the sensor (58) for detecting the axial force. 12. Device according to claim 10 or 11,

By doing so, that is

the lever (48) and the anvil (14) are aligned at least approximately perpendicular to one another and the abutment (14) extends at least approximately parallel to the longitudinal central axis (A) of the tether (10).

13. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that

the brake lever (12) comprises an electrically conductive material at least in a region (40) of a sensor (38) for detecting the deflection of the brake lever (12).

14. Device according to claim 13,

By doing so, that is

the sensor (38) for detecting the deflection of the brake lever (12) detects the deflection of the brake lever (12) in a region (40) which is arranged between the actuating portion (16) and the clamping portion (18).

15. Device according to at least one of the preceding claims,

marked by

a control unit which is designed to detect signals from the at least one sensor (26, 38, 58) and to generate a control signal for a drive (34) of the brake lever (12) as a function of the detected signals.