Drive arrangement of the motorized adjustment of a closure element of a motor vehicle

• US 9,290,981 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2013
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Hallstadt (Brose)
• Original Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile GmbH & Company KG Hallstadt (Brose)
• Inventors: Weingaertner, Thomas, Abert, Carsten, Klopp, Marcus, Neundorf, Robert, Wuerstlein, Holger, Herrmann, Christian, Kuhnen, Thorsten
• Primary Examiner(s): REDMAN, JERRY E
• Application Number:
  US14/133,211
• Publication Number:
  US 20140165469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 825 Days
• Field of Search: 493/39, 493/40, 493/43, 49/26, 49/13, 49/14, 296/56
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/622 using screw-and-nut mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/812 Acoustic
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/50 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/546 Tailboards, tailgates or sideboards opening upwards

Abstract

The invention relates to a drive arrangement for the motorized adjustment of a closure element of a motor vehicle, wherein the drive arrangement, in the installed state, is coupled in drive terms to the closure element. It is proposed for the drive arrangement to have at least one drive, which is intended for generating drive movements and in or on which is arranged an acoustic indicator for supplying acoustic feedback to the user.

Claims

1. A drive arrangement for a motorized adjustment of a closure element of a motor vehicle, wherein the drive arrangement is configured to couple to the closure element, and in an installed state is configured to provide motorized adjustment of the closure element, wherein the drive arrangement has at least one drive that is configured to generate drive movements to provide the motorized adjustment of the closure element, wherein the drive arrangement has an acoustic indicator arranged in or on the at least one drive, and wherein the acoustic indicator is configured to supply acoustic feedback related to the motorized adjustment of the closure element to a user positioned adjacent to the closure element.

2. The drive arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic feedback indicates at least one of the motorized adjustment of the closure element, an obstruction of the closure element, the closure element reaching a predetermined position, and an occurrence of a predetermined fault.

3. The drive arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the drive is configured as an elongate linear drive which, at each end, has a mechanical connection for delivering the drive moments.

4. The drive arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the acoustic indicator is arranged in a region of at least one of the mechanical connections.

5. The drive arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the drive has a drive housing, and the acoustic indicator is arranged in or on the drive housing.

6. The drive arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the drive housing has a sleeve termination piece at least at one end, and in that the acoustic indicator is arranged, at least in part, within the sleeve termination piece.

7. The drive arrangement according to claim 5, wherein the drive housing or a drive-module housing is configured for serving as a resonating body for the acoustic indicator.

8. The drive arrangement according to claim 5, wherein drive housing comprises two sub-housings which run telescopically one inside the other during the motorized adjustment.

9. The drive arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the drive is configured as a spindle drive and has a drive motor and a gear mechanism comprising a spindle and a spindle nut, which is directly or indirectly driven by the drive motor.

10. The drive arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic indicator has a dedicated housing, and the housing of the acoustic indicator is positioned on the drive.

11. The drive arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the drive has an electrical connection arrangement, and the acoustic indicator is arranged within the electrical connection arrangement.

12. The drive arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the electrical connection arrangement comprises a plug arrangement and the acoustic indicator is arranged in or on the plug arrangement.

13. The drive arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the plug arrangement comprises an intermediate plug, in or on which the acoustic indicator is arranged.

14. The drive arrangement according to claim 11, wherein the electrical connection arrangement has a supply line, and wherein the acoustic indicator is arranged in or on the supply line.

15. The drive arrangement according to claim 1, wherein acoustic signals of the acoustic indicator are generated by an electric acoustic generator.

16. The drive arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the acoustic indicator comprises an electric loudspeaker or an electric buzzer.

17. The drive arrangement according to claim 1, wherein acoustic signals of the acoustic indicator are generated by a relative movement of components of the drive during the motorized adjustment of the drive.

18. A closure-element arrangement of a motor vehicle comprising a closure element and the drive arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, in the installed state, the drive arrangement is exposed at least in part in relation to a motor-vehicle environment at least over an adjusting region of the closure element.

19. The closure-element arrangement according to claim 18, wherein, with the closure element closed, the drive arrangement is covered by the closure element.

20. The closure-element arrangement according to claim 18, wherein the closure element is selected from the group consisting of a tailgate, a boot lid, a bonnet, a side door, a cargo-space hatch closure, a window, and a pop top of the motor vehicle.