EP3538730B1 - Drive device for an element to be driven - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a drive device for driving an element with a toothed belt, a toothed pulley and an at least partially non-linear guide track in which the element is guided via a guide means.

Toothed belts usually have a smooth side and a side with teeth. Usually the smooth side is on the outside, while the inside of the toothed belt is provided with the teeth. The toothed belt encloses the toothed pulley, the teeth of the toothed belt engaging in toothed recesses of the toothed pulley, so that the toothed pulley drives the toothed belt via the toothed recesses and teeth.

Toothed belt drives are often used for the transport of objects to be transported or moved horizontally. In particular, toothed belt drives also serve as door drives for opening and closing vehicle doors, in particular for doors of vehicles used in local and long-distance public transport.

With a revolving toothed belt drive, often only one of the toothed pulleys is driven, while the other or even several toothed pulleys simply run along and deflect the toothed belt.

The elements to be conveyed or transported are connected to the toothed belt, for example, via drivers. Problems often arise from the fact that the attachment of the drivers to the toothed belt is not sufficient to transmit high drive forces. The drivers come loose due to load peaks or during operation, which causes repairs and costs.

Toothed belts are usually made of plastic material that is reinforced by lengthways ropes or wires. The ropes or wires essential for absorbing the tensile forces must not be damaged by attaching the drivers, otherwise the stability and tear resistance of the toothed belt is affected. This also limits the power transmission to elements to be driven or to be taken along via drivers.

Another problem is that power is only transmitted along the longitudinal extension of the toothed belt, that is, in the x direction. A deflection of the element driven by the driver, for example via guide rails, is possible, but causes a high loss of drive energy by dividing the force application into an x component (parallel to the direction of movement of the toothed belt) and a y component (transverse to the direction of movement of the toothed belt ).

This problem arises e.g. with pivoting sliding doors that are moved parallel and in sections at an angle to the vehicle outer wall and are guided in a curved guideway. It is driven by a toothed belt drive, with the door being connected to the toothed belt by a driver. Due to the straight course of the toothed belt, the drive force is only introduced in one direction (x-direction), but divided into an x-component and a y-component (transverse to the x-direction) due to the curved guide rail. This division results in considerable losses of the drive energy.

In addition, a space-saving design is essential for many applications. Known drive systems often require too much installation space and, moreover, have a relatively complex design.

A sliding door for motor vehicles is in the DE 100 18 332 A1 disclosed. A vehicle body is described which has a curved guide track in an opening in which a drive means is guided, which in turn is connected to the sliding door. The drive means is moved via a toothed belt, the toothed belt being guided over rollers. The drive energy required for this system is relatively high.

The task to be solved is therefore to improve the use of drive energy.

The object of the present invention is to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art by means of an improved drive device with toothed belts for driving an element. In particular, the drive device is intended to improve the use of the drive energy and to ensure permanent and low-maintenance operation of the toothed belt drive. The drive device should be constructed as compactly as possible and in particular also be suitable for space-saving applications.

• Demnach weist die Antriebsvorrichtung auf:
  • einen Zahnriemenantrieb mit einem Zahnriemen,
  • ein Rahmenelement,
  • eine Zahnscheibe mit Zahnaussparungen zur Mitnahme von Zähnen des Zahnriemens,
  • eine zumindest abschnittsweise parallel zur Erstreckung des Zahnriemens verlaufende, nichtlineare Führungsbahn, in der die an einen äußeren Kraftmitnehmer angeordneten Rollen geführt sind,
  • ein Antriebsmittel, das mit dem Rahmenelement verbunden ist und der Verbindung mit dem anzutreibenden Element dient.
• Die Antriebsvorrichtung ist dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass
  • das Rahmenelement zwei einander gegenüberliegende Verbindungsplatten und eine Verbindungswand ausbildet, die die beiden Verbindungsplatten miteinander verbindet,
  • die Antriebsvorrichtung mindestens drei am Zahnriemen befestigte längliche, parallel zu einer Breite B des Zahnriemens und parallel zueinander ausgerichtete Kraftmitnehmer aufweist, die
    innerhalb des Rahmenelementes angeordnet sind, wobei ein mittlerer Kraftmitnehmer drehfest an den beiden Verbindungsplatten befestigt ist, und sich Endabschnitte der benachbarten äußeren Kraftmitnehmer jeweils durch gekrümmte Langlöcher der Verbindungsplatte erstrecken, wodurch die äußeren Kraftmitnehmer schwenkbar sind, und die äußeren Kraftmitnehmer endseitig außerhalb einer der Verbindungplatten als Achsstummel ausgebildete zylinderförmige Überstände aufweisen, die jeweils eine Rolle tragen,
  • die Zahnscheibe Kraftmitnehmeraussparungen zur Mitnahme der Kraftmitnehmer aufweist.

According to the invention, the object is achieved by a drive device with the features of claim 1:

• Accordingly, the drive device has:
  • a toothed belt drive with a toothed belt,
  • a frame element,
  • a toothed washer with tooth recesses for driving the teeth of the toothed belt,
  • a non-linear guide track running at least in sections parallel to the extent of the toothed belt, in which the rollers arranged on an external force driver are guided,
  • a drive means which is connected to the frame element and is used for connection to the element to be driven.
• The drive device is characterized in that
  • the frame element forms two opposing connecting plates and a connecting wall which connects the two connecting plates to one another,
  • the drive device has at least three elongated, parallel to a width B of the toothed belt and parallel to one another aligned force drivers which are fastened to the toothed belt
    are arranged inside the frame element, with a middle force driver is rotatably attached to the two connecting plates, and end portions of the adjacent outer force driver each extend through curved elongated holes of the connecting plate, whereby the outer force driver are pivotable, and the outer force driver end outside one of the connecting plates as Have stub axles formed cylindrical protrusions, each carrying a roller,
  • the toothed pulley has force driver recesses for driving the force driver.

The drive device according to the invention is particularly suitable for driving pivoting sliding doors or similar elements, such as windows or flaps. The force originating from the toothed belt drive is also optimally transferred to the element to be driven when it is deflected out of the straight guideway in another direction via the toothed pulley according to the invention.

The drive device accordingly has a toothed pulley with tooth recesses for driving teeth of the toothed belt and force driver recesses for driving the force drivers, which usually does not drive, but merely deflects the toothed belt. In the context of the invention, however, this toothed disk can also be designed as a driving toothed disk. Then the drive force is transmitted from the toothed pulley to the toothed belt or the element to be driven not only to the teeth of the toothed belt, but also to the force drivers, which are located in corresponding force driver recesses in the toothed pulley. As a result, even greater forces can then possibly be transmitted.

If there are several force drivers in the force driver recesses of the pulley at the same time, the toothed belt is relieved considerably, as the forces are distributed over the several force drivers. This is also advantageous because, by guiding the force driver via the toothed disk, a change in direction can take place from the previously exclusively prevailing directional component in the x direction. Changes in direction are often associated with dynamic load peaks, which can be absorbed and compensated for by the direct connection of the force driver to the pulley. The deflection of the direction via the toothed pulley can take place in accordance with conventional toothed belt drives by a few degrees up to a complete change of direction of 180 °.

According to the invention, it is sufficient if the number of force driver recesses corresponds to the number of force drivers on the toothed belt. If only three force drivers are arranged on the toothed belt, three force driver recesses are sufficient to accommodate them. Since it is a coordinated, closed system, the force driver and the force driver recesses are always in the same place when they meet. This is especially the case when the toothed belt and thus the force driver only cover a short distance, for example when operating in both directions, as is the case with sliding doors.

It has also proven to be particularly advantageous if only those toothed disks are driven which do not contact the force drivers during normal operation. This reduces or even prevents the force driver from slipping on the pulley.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment variant, the force drivers are attached to the toothed belt exclusively by clamping. The clamp connection has the significant advantage that the structure of the toothed belt is not changed by the attachment. In particular, the ropes or wires that are essential for tensile strength remain intact in the interior of the toothed belt.

In order to be able to ensure a clamping connection, the force drivers are preferably divided into an upper side and a lower side, between which the toothed belt is arranged in the fastened state. The underside is arranged on the toothed side of the toothed belt and can have an inner side facing the toothed belt, which corresponds to the teeth of the toothed belt, for improved power transmission in the x direction. For example, the lower part can have a serrated contour in which the teeth of the toothed belt come to rest. This leads to a positive connection between the force driver and the toothed belt.

The connection of the upper part and the lower part can be made by any suitable means. It has proven to be advantageous if the force driver has a length which exceeds a width of the toothed belt (transverse to the longitudinal extension). When fastened to the toothed belt, the force drivers are arranged transversely to the running direction or longitudinal extension of the toothed belt. Drive elements, for example screws, connect the upper part to the lower part, the screws being arranged to the side of the toothed belt and not penetrating it.

The frame element forms two opposing connecting plates and a connecting wall which connects the two connecting plates to one another. A central force driver is arranged in the frame element, which is not pivotable or rotatable with respect to the frame element or the connecting plates. In addition, a second force driver and a third force driver are positioned, which can be pivoted due to the elongated holes in the connecting plates.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the frame element is made in one piece. It can be manufactured from plastic as an injection molded part, for example.

The connecting plates connect the force drivers in such a way that tensile forces are transmitted between them via the connecting plates. The connecting plates have the curved elongated holes because otherwise it would not be possible to deflect the toothed belt over the toothed pulley.

The two outer force drivers each have a cylindrical protrusion designed as a stub axle, which each carries a roller, at the end outside one of the connecting plates. The rollers run in a non-linear guide track that runs at least in sections parallel to the extent of the toothed belt.

Preferably transverse to the longitudinal direction of the toothed belt, that is to say extending at right angles to the force drivers, a drive means is provided which is connected to the frame element and serves to connect to the element to be driven. The drive means is preferably connected non-rotatably to the connecting wall. It preferably forms a fulcrum for connecting an element driver, which in turn is connected to the element to be driven, for example a pivoting sliding door. For this purpose, the drive means can have a driver opening which is parallel to the Aligned force drivers and in which a driver axis of the element driver is rotatably mounted.

The ability to pivot or rotate between the drive means and the element to be driven is necessary in order to be able to guide the element to be driven along the circumference of the toothed disc when it deflects the force driver. Pivotability or rotatability does not necessarily have to be guaranteed by the force driver or the drive element itself; a rigid connection is also possible at this point if the pivoting or rotatability is realized elsewhere between the force drivers and the element to be driven.

In a particularly simple preferred embodiment variant, the force drivers are designed as essentially cylindrical elements. The two outer force drivers can each have only a single roller on one side of the toothed belt or two rollers on both sides of the toothed belt.

In order to further improve the force transmission to the element to be driven, further force drivers can preferably also be provided, which are connected to one another via the connecting plate. In the case of an uneven number of force drivers, the connecting plates are attached to the middle force drivers, the adjacent force drivers extending into corresponding curved elongated holes. Any forces that occur are distributed to all connected force drivers via the connecting plates. For example, groups of three or five force drivers, which are connected to one another via a connecting plate, have proven to be particularly suitable. Advantageously, the tension within the toothed belt does not increase due to the connection between the force drivers when they come into contact with the toothed pulley.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment variant, the guideway has an arcuate section, so that the force drivers are moved around the toothed disk in such a way that an over-center position results. Thus, a closed position of the driven element, for example a door, can be achieved, which cannot be released without moving the toothed belt back in the opposite direction. The door is thus securely locked for passengers, for example.

In order to execute the movement of a pivoting sliding door with final locking, the guideway has a first straight track section, a second straight track section and an arcuate end track section, the two straight track sections being arranged at an angle to one another. Thus, the door can be moved out of the door portal and then parallel to the vehicle outer wall. If the door is in the door portal, it is securely locked in the end position by the over-center locking.

A driven pinion is preferably arranged at a free end of the first straight section, a first toothed disk in the area of the transition from the first straight section to the second straight section and a second toothed disk in the area of the curved end-side section.

The invention is explained in more detail with reference to the following figures. The figures show only preferred embodiment features and are not intended to restrict the invention to these.

Fig. 1:

einen Zahnriemenabschnitt mit einem erfindungsgemäßen Kraftmitnehmer zur Verdeutlichung des Befestigungsprinzips,

Fig. 2:

eine Schnittdarstellung eines Zahnriemenabschnitts mit befestigtem Kraftmitnehmer,

Fig. 3:

eine seitliche Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Zahnscheibe mit einem Zahnriemenabschnitt und drei Kraftmitnehmern,

Fig. 4:

die seitliche Ansicht gemäß Fig. 3, zusätzlich mit einer Verbindungsplatte,

Fig. 5:

eine erfindungsgemäße Antriebsvorrichtung mit Führungsbahn und Tür in offener Position,

Fig. 6:

die Antriebsvorrichtung aus Fig. 5 mit Tür in geschlossener Position,

Fig. 7:

eine vergrößerte Darstellung eines Kraftmitnehmerelementes mit Mitnehmerelement in perspektivischer Darstellung

Fig. 8:

das Kraftmitnehmerelement aus Fig. 7 in Seitenansicht,

Fig. 9:

das Kraftmitnehmerelement aus Fig. 7 von unten,

Fig. 10:

das Kraftmitnehmerelement aus Fig. 7 von der Seite,

Fig. 11:

das Kraftmitnehmerelement aus Fig. 7 von vorne,

Show it:

Fig. 1:

a toothed belt section with a force driver according to the invention to illustrate the fastening principle,

Fig. 2:

a sectional view of a toothed belt section with attached force driver,

Fig. 3:

a side view of a toothed pulley according to the invention with a toothed belt section and three force drivers,

Fig. 4:

the side view according to Fig. 3 , additionally with a connecting plate,

Fig. 5:

a drive device according to the invention with guide track and door in the open position,

Fig. 6:

the drive device off Fig. 5 with door in closed position,

Fig. 7:

an enlarged representation of a force driver element with driver element in a perspective view

Fig. 8:

the force driver element Fig. 7 in side view,

Fig. 9:

the force driver element Fig. 7 from underneath,

Fig. 10:

the force driver element Fig. 7 of the page,

Fig. 11:

the force driver element Fig. 7 from the front,

Figure 1 shows a section of a toothed belt 20 to which a force driver 22 according to the invention is attached. The toothed belt has an outer side 24 and a toothed pulley 26 (cf. Figures 3 and 4 ) facing inside 28. The inside 28 usually has teeth which are not shown in the figures.

The force driver 22 is formed by a substantially cylindrically shaped body which is divided into two parts and has an upper part 30 and a lower part 32. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the upper part 30 and the lower part 32 are connected to one another via connecting means 34, preferably clamping screws, in such a way that the toothed belt 20 is arranged between them. The lower part 32 is arranged on the inside 28 and the upper part 30 on the outside 24 of the toothed belt. Not shown is a serrated inner surface of the lower part 32, which faces the teeth of the toothed belt 20 and corresponds to them. The teeth come to rest in correspondingly shaped depressions on the inside of the lower part 32, so that a force-fit connection of the force driver 22 with the toothed belt 20 occurs.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the lower part 32 has openings 36 into which the connecting means 34 can be introduced, preferably screwed. The connecting means 34, shown as clamping screws, run laterally of the Toothed belt 20 and do not penetrate this. The force driver 22 has a length which exceeds the width B of the toothed belt 20 accordingly.

Two drive elements 38 can also be seen, which are designed as stub axles and protrude laterally with respect to a width B of the toothed belt. Instead of the two laterally protruding drive elements 38, only a single drive element 38 can be provided. The drive elements 38 represent, so to speak, an extension of the force driver 22 in its longitudinal direction, which in the fastened state runs parallel to the width of the toothed belt B or transversely to a longitudinal extent XX of the toothed belt. According to the invention, the stub axles or the protrusions each carry a roller 80 (cf. Figures 7 to 11 ).

Figure 2 illustrates the arrangement of a force driver 22 in a sectional view on the toothed belt 20.

Figure 3 illustrates three adjacent force drivers 22 which are arranged on the toothed belt 20. It can also be seen that the toothed disk 26 has tooth recesses 40 for receiving and driving the teeth of the toothed belt 20, as well as force driver recesses 42 for receiving and driving the force drivers 22. If the toothed pulley 26 drives the toothed belt and the force drivers 22 are located in the force driver recess 42, the drive force of the toothed pulley 26 is transmitted directly to it.

Out Figure 4 the function of a connecting plate 44 according to the invention becomes clear in a simplified representation. A connecting plate 44 is shown which connects the three force drivers 22 to one another in the pulling direction of the toothed belt 20. The middle force driver 22 is not rotatably mounted.

The connecting plate 44 also has two curved elongated holes 48 into which each of the cylindrical protrusions of the outer force driver 22 extend. The rollers 80 arranged on these are not shown. The curved elongated holes 48 allow the connecting plate 44 to pivot during the change in direction through the toothed disk 26. At the same time, the connecting plate 44 causes forces to be distributed to the three force drivers 22 and at the same time the tension of the toothed belt 20 remains unchanged.

Figure 5 shows a preferred embodiment of a drive device 18 according to the invention in a simplified representation of the principle. An element driver 92 can be seen, which is mounted pivotably on a drive means 90 of the force driver element 56. The element driver 92 is used to connect to the element to be driven, for example a door 50 (not shown). The force driver element 56 is connected to the toothed belt 20. Unrecognizable rollers 80 arranged on the end of the force drivers 22 are guided in a guide track 60. The guideway 60 has a first straight route section 62 and a second straight route section 64. A preferably electric drive motor 68 (cf. Fig. 6 ) drives the toothed belt 20 via a pinion 70. A first toothed disk 26 - 1 is arranged in the region of the transition from the first route section 62 to the second route section 64. The door 50 is in the open position.

Figure 5 also shows that only three force driver recesses 42 are provided for driving the force driver 22. Since the force drivers 22 always cover exactly the same path, the first toothed pulley 26-1 and can also be matched exactly to the position of the force drivers 22; the device only needs to be preset once. It can also be seen that only the pinion 70 is driven, but not the first toothed disk 26-1. This effectively prevents the force driver 22 from slipping on the first toothed slide 26-1.

Figure 6 illustrates a variant with over-center position. A second toothed disk 26 - 2 is arranged in the area of the curved end-side section 66. In this embodiment variant, the force driver element 56 is moved from the first section 62 to the arcuate end section 66, but does not pass the pinion 70. In this respect, it also has no force driver cutouts 42, but only tooth cutouts 40. In this closed position, an over-center position is reached. This is illustrated by the drawn line L.

The Figures 7 to 11 illustrate the structure of the force driver element 56. In a frame element 72, a central force driver 22-1 is arranged, which is not pivotable or rotatable. In addition, there is a second force driver 22-2 and a third force driver 22-3 is arranged, which can be pivoted due to the elongated holes 48 so that the force driver element 56 can move around the toothed pulleys 26. The frame element 72 basically forms two opposing connecting plates 44 and a connecting wall 76 which connects the two connecting plates to one another. The outer force drivers 22 extend through the elongated holes 48 and have rollers 80.

Preferably transverse to the longitudinal direction of the toothed belt 20, that is to say extending at right angles to the force drivers 22, a drive means 90 is provided which is connected to the frame element 72 and is used to connect to the element driver 92 to be driven. The drive means 90 is preferably connected to the connecting wall 76 in a rotationally fixed manner. It preferably forms a pivot point for connecting an element driver 92, which in turn is connected to the element to be driven, that is to say for example the door 50. For this purpose, the drive means 90 can have a driver opening 94 which is aligned parallel to the force drivers 22 and in which a driver axis 96 of the element driver 92 is rotatably mounted.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described, but also includes further design variants which are covered by the patent claims. In particular, instead of three force drivers 22, more force drivers 22 can also be provided. An arrangement of connecting plates 44 on both sides of the force drivers 22 is also conceivable.

Claims (14)

1. A drive device (18) for driving an element, comprising

   - a toothed-belt drive with a toothed belt (20),

   - a frame member (72),

   - a toothed disk (26) with tooth recesses (40) for taking along teeth of the toothed belt (20),

   - a non-linear guide track (60), which extends at least in some portions parallel to the extent of the toothed belt (20) and in which the rollers (80) disposed on an outer force driver (22-2, 22-3) are guided,

   - a driving means (90), which is connected to the frame member (72) and which serves for the connection to the element to be driven,
   characterized in that

   - the frame member (72) forms two opposing connecting plates (44) and a connecting wall (76) that connects the two connecting plates (44) to one another,

   - the drive device (18) has at least three elongate force drivers (22), which are attached to the toothed belt (20) and are oriented parallel to a width B of the toothed belt (20) and parallel to one another, which

   - are disposed within the frame member (72), wherein a center force driver (22-1) is non-rotatably attached to the two connecting plates (44) and end portions of the adjacent outer force drivers (22) each extend through curved elongated holes (48) of the connecting plate (44), whereby the outer force drivers (22-2, 22-3) are pivotable, and the outer force drivers (22-2, 22-3) have at their ends, outside of one of the connecting plates (44), cylindrical projections that are configured as axle stubs and carry a roller (80) each,

   - the toothed disk (26) has force driver recesses (42) for taking along the force drivers (22).
2. The drive device (18) according to claim 1, characterized in that the driving means (90) is non-rotatably connected to the connecting wall (76).
3. The drive device (18) according to claim 2, characterized in that the driving means (90) forms a pivot point for connecting an element driver (92).
4. The drive device (18) according to claim 3, characterized in that the driving means (90) has a driver opening (94), which is oriented parallel to the force drivers (22) and in which a driver axis (96) of the element driver (92) is rotatably mounted.
5. The drive device (18) according to any one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the guide track (60) has an arcuate section (66), so that the force drivers (22) can be moved about the toothed disk (26) in such a way that an over-dead-center position is the result.
6. The drive device (18) according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the toothed disk (26) is configured as a driven sprocket.
7. The drive device (18) according to any one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a driven sprocket with only tooth recesses (40) for taking along teeth of the toothed belt (20) is provided.
8. The drive device (18) according to any one of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the guide track (60) has a first straight section (62), a second straight section (64) and an arcuate section (66) at the end, wherein the two straight sections (62, 64) are disposed at an angle to each other.
9. The drive device (18) according to claim 8, characterized in that a driven sprocket is disposed at a free end of the first straight section (62), a first toothed disk (26-1) is disposed in the region of the transition from the first straight section (62) to the second straight section (64), and a second toothed disk (26-2) is disposed in the region of the arcuate section (66) at the end, and the force drivers (22) can be moved around the second toothed disk (26-2) in such a way that the result is an over-dead-center position with respect to a backward movement of the element to be driven.
10. The drive device (18) according to any one of the claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the driven element is a door (50).
11. The drive device (18) according to any one of the claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the force drivers (22) are connected to the toothed belt (20) via a clamping connection.
12. The drive device (18) according to claim 11, characterized in that the force drivers (22) have a two-part configuration and have a lower part (32) disposed on an inner face (28) of the toothed belt (20) in the attached state, and a top part (30) disposed on an outer face (24) of the toothed belt (20), which can be connected to each other in such a way that they clamp the toothed belt (20) between them.
13. The drive device (18) according to claim 12, characterized in that the top part (30) and the lower part (32) are screwed together in the attached state.
14. The drive device (18) according to any one of the claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the force drivers (22) have a length L which extends parallel to a width B of the toothed belt (20) in the attached state, and which exceeds the width B of the toothed belt (20), wherein the lower part (32) and the top part (30) are connected to each other via connecting means (34) extending laterally next to the toothed belt (20).

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