WO2000045489A1

WO2000045489A1 - Device for providing an electrical connection

Info

Publication number: WO2000045489A1
Application number: PCT/EP1999/010494
Authority: WO
Inventors: Harry Apprich
Original assignee: Apprich Secur 2000 Gmbh
Priority date: 1999-01-28
Filing date: 1999-12-30
Publication date: 2000-08-03
Also published as: DE19905022A1; DE19905022C2

Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical supply for a device for opening and closing an opening in a wall element (2) by means of a sliding door (3), especially for motor vehicles. The sliding door is essentially displaceable in a direction of motion which is parallel to the wall element. An electrical supply cable (8) is connected to the first electrical elements located on the sliding door and to the second electrical elements located on the wall element. Said supply cable is guided in an arch shape by a guiding device (11, 16, 18). The reversal point of the arch migrates in the direction of displacement when the door is displaced. The cable is preferably guided in a drag chain (11).

Description

Electrical connection device

The present invention relates to a device for the electrical connection of at least one electrical element located on or in a sliding door of a motor vehicle with an electrical element arranged in the vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Devices for opening and closing an opening in a wall by means of a sliding door, in particular for motor vehicles, are known, the sliding door being essentially displaceable in a direction of movement parallel to the wall.

It is also known to provide electrical contacts for the electrical supply of consumers accommodated in the sliding door in the closed state of the sliding door in the edge region of the sliding door and a corresponding edge region of the opening. hen, which engage with each other when closing the sliding door. However, such a device has the disadvantage that, when the sliding door is open, there is no voltage supply for electrical elements attached to the sliding door.

DE 197 17 490 describes a sliding door of a motor vehicle in which an electrical supply cable for supplying voltage to consumers on the door side and control elements is attached between the door and the body. To prevent uncontrolled swaying of the cable when the sliding door is moving, a cable drum with a reset device, e.g. a return spring, preferably installed near the B-pillar. So it will

Supply cable when the sliding door is opened and closed on the cable drum is wound up and down accordingly and held under mechanical tension. The electrical contact is made on the body side (to the battery) via a fixed bearing axis of the cable drum and on the door side with consumers and control electronics.

A disadvantage of this invention is that the supply cable is permanently wound or unwound under the influence of a mechanical force, this can lead to signs of fatigue in the cable and thus endanger the functionality of the cable. Furthermore, the mechanism holding the cable is complex and therefore more prone to failure. Frequent use of the sliding door can result in the reset mechanism being damaged and thus a tight guidance of the supply cable cannot be guaranteed.

Starting from sliding doors according to the prior art, the present invention is based on the object de, to create an electrical connection between the electrical elements located on the sliding door and an existing power supply in the vehicle, which enables a permanent and reliable voltage transmission in a simple and permanent manner regardless of the open state of the sliding door.

This object is achieved by a device according to claim 1.

Characterized in that an electrical supply cable is connected on the one hand to the first electrical elements located on the sliding door and on the other hand to the second electrical elements located on the wall, the supply cable being arranged in a guide device which guides the supply cable in an arc shape, the apex of the arch when the door opens and closes in the direction of displacement, it is ensured that there is a permanent electrical connection with a long service life between the first and second electrical elements, regardless of the opening state of the sliding door. Here, the supply cable according to the invention (which preferably has more than half the length of the maximum travel of the sliding door) in conjunction with the guide device ensures that the supply cable does not overstretch when the electrical elements are at a maximum distance from one another and that the maximum possible approximation of the electrical elements also no crossing or knotting of the supply cable takes place.

Advantageously, the guide device has deflection and guide surfaces and elements that the Limit and guide movement of the supply cable. These can be designed as webs, projections or the like, which are attached to or molded onto the body

An advantageous embodiment of the present invention provides that the supply cable is guided at least in sections in a drag chain, the drag chain being movable in a plane containing the direction of movement of the sliding door. This is advantageously achieved by a chain of chain links with a U-shaped cross section in the longitudinal direction of the chain, the supply cable being placed inside the "U" and swivel joints for connecting adjacent chain links being provided on the leg surfaces of the "U". In order to allow the drag chain to be deflected from one plane, at least one chain link or swivel joint with a different axis of rotation than the others is provided.

A further advantageous embodiment provides that the supply cable or drag chain is arranged to be movable within a guide cassette, a continuous or interrupted lateral wall of the guide cassette and at least one top surface of the guide cassette limiting the range of motion. Like the guide elements, the guide cassette has the task of minimizing the movements of the supply cable or drag chain located therein and thus preventing the supply cables from "getting tangled" and protecting the supply cable and the surrounding area of the supply cables from one another. In the case of a horizontally lying guide cassette, the lateral limitation takes place through the conversion, while rend the supply cable or drag chain lies on a cover surface. If the supply cable is sufficiently thick or tare, only a lower cover surface is required; if necessary, it is also sensible to layer the supply cable between two parallel cover surfaces, which to prevent sections of the supply cable from being stacked at a maximum distance of 1.5 times Diameters of the supply cables are arranged to each other. By means of "island areas" arranged within the "movement area", the movement area in the guide cassette can be deliberately restricted and thus a further channeling of the supply cables can be achieved.

The guide cassette can be a separate part, in particular for retrofitting a motor vehicle, but advantageously it is an integral part of the body and the headlining and is arranged between them. Flocking or the like can provide sound insulation or lining of the guide cassette or its parts.

Further advantageous developments of the present invention are specified in the remaining dependent claims.

The present invention will now be explained with reference to several figures. Show it:

1 is a side view of a motor vehicle with the sliding door closed,

2 shows a partial section from FIG. 1 according to Al-Al with the sliding door open, 3 shows a partial section from FIG. 1 according to A2-A2 with the sliding door open,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the device according to the invention when installed in a motor vehicle and

Fig. 5a and 5b members of an inventive

Drag chain.

1 shows a motor vehicle 4 in a side view, a side opening 1 in the wall 2 of the vehicle is closed flush by a sliding door 3. The sliding door 3 is guided in guide rails 19, 22, 23 by means of elements not shown in FIG. 1 and is moved back and forth in the longitudinal direction 5 of the vehicle 4 via an electromechanical drive. In or on the sliding door there are electrical consumers, such as the electric motor of the drive, window lift drives or the like, which are fed by a voltage supply located in the vehicle. A supply cable, preferably consisting of a plurality of electrical lines, is used for this purpose, which is fixed on the one hand to an element provided in the vehicle interior and on the other hand to an element on the door side. The end of the supply cable inside the vehicle is connected to the power supply via plug connections or the like, while the end on the door side is optionally connected to the consumers via plug connections.

2 shows a section of the motor vehicle 4 from FIG. 1 according to AI-AI. This shows a view with the sliding door 3 open, the outer surfaces of the wall 2 and the sliding door 3 are no longer arranged flush to each other, the sliding door 3 is shifted towards the outside of the vehicle. A guide element 20 of the sliding door 3 engages in the upper guide rail 19, which is fastened to the body. In addition to the guide rail 19 is on

Headliner 24 of the vehicle has a guide cassette 15 attached. The sliding door end of the supply cable 8 protrudes from the guide cassette 15. This end of the supply cable 8 is passed through a slot 21 located in the lower cover surface 17 of the guide cassette 15. The slot 21 runs essentially parallel to the guide rail 19 along this. The sliding door end of the supply cable 8 is received by a web 25, which the guide element 20 to

Guide of the sliding door 3 carries in the upper guide rail 19 and is rigidly connected to the sliding door or via a joint 25 '. This joint 25 'permits a pivoting movement of the web 25 if the guide rail 19 is curved in the vertical direction 6 in order to obtain headroom.

2, the guide rail 19 and the guide cassette 15 are arranged on the roof lining 24. In the preferred embodiment, however, they are provided between the body and the headlining or fastened to the roof body or an integral part of the body.

For a clear definition, it should be pointed out that in the present application, "supply cable 8" is understood only to mean the section of the power supply lines which is between the end on the sliding door side (web 25) or fixing point up to a fixing point on the interior side, for example a plug connection 10 ( see for example Fig. 4) stretches. The supply line which adjoins the sliding door end of the supply cable 8 and which continues via the web 25 to an electrical consumer 9 is designated 8 '. The electrical consumer 9 can be an electrical locking of the sliding door 3, a motor for moving the sliding door 3 with respect to the wall 2 or window regulators or other electrical devices.

FIG. 3 shows a partial section of the motor vehicle 4 from FIG. 1 according to A2-A2. This shows a view with the sliding door open in the direction 6, whereby a cladding of the arrangement, which can be a cover 17 of the guide cassette or the headlining itself, is shown “transparent”. The supply line 8 'connects to the end of the supply cable 8 on the sliding door side. As can be seen from the figure, the supply cable 8 is guided in sections in a hollow drag chain 11, which is explained further below. The drag chain 11 lies essentially on the cover 17, which also covers the guide cassette, except for the slot 21 which extends along the guide rail 19. The supply cable 8 has a length which corresponds to at least half the length of the maximum travel path of the sliding door, but is preferably greater, as can be seen from FIG. 3, since it is inserted and guided in the guide cassette in such a way that it is together makes an arc of 180 ° with the drag chain 11 at least during the displacement movement, the apex being referred to as the reversal point 26, which moves along the direction of movement when the sliding door 2 is displaced.

The drag chain 11 shown in FIG. 3 can essentially only be moved in one plane, the opposite can also be slightly curved. This is ensured by the fact that the drag chain 11 consists of hollow chain links 12 (see FIGS. 5a and 5b), the chain links being rotatably connected by axes arranged perpendicular to the plane of movement of the drag chain. In the exemplary embodiment, this plane lies parallel to the surface of the cover 17 in its installed state, this plane essentially coinciding with the plane of the roof lining 24.

It is of course also possible to use a different level as the movement level of the drag chain 11 or the supply cable 8, e.g. to use the plane spanned by the vectors 5 and 6 (in this case, for example, a guide cassette would be perpendicular to the headlining 24), it is only important that the plane which the drag chain is to be movable contains the direction of displacement 5 of the sliding door 3.

The movement of the supply cable 8 is controlled by guides, the drag chain 11 surrounding it in sections representing itself a guide. Furthermore, a lateral conversion lβ of the guide cassette 15 and the cover 17 are provided, which limit the range of movement of the supply cable 8 or the drag chain 11. If the drag chain 11 or supply cable 8 has a sufficiently large dead weight, it is sufficient merely to provide a cover surface 17 on the underside of the guide cassette 15, on which the supply cable or the drag chain is carried and guided.

Another limitation of the range of motion of the

Supply cable 8 or drag chain 11 can can be achieved that a component is used in the range of motion predetermined by the border 16, which reduces or limits this range of motion. Such an island with an island wall 18 surrounding it is attached in the plane in which the supply cable or drag chain is guided within the guide cassette 15. The island wall 18 or other deflection walls are so high that, analogously to the transformation 16, the drag chain or supply cable cannot exceed the island wall in its plane of movement. This can prevent individual sections of the supply cable or the drag chain from touching and jamming, and a further guide is provided in the plane of movement of the supply cable or drag chain, which is specified by the guide cassette or the drag chain itself.

As already explained above, the guide cassette with the guides mentioned above can be arranged as a separate part on the headlining or between the headlining and the body. The guides, such as the wall 16 and the island wall 18 or corresponding deflection surfaces can also be an integral part of the body.

The drag chain is clamped in the area of its interior-side end between the conversion 16 and the island wall or is fastened with the end chain link to the guide cassette 15 or its conversion, while the last chain link on the door side is attached to the web 25. In this case, the supply cable 8 does not have to be fixed separately, the fastening points of the drag chain form the fixing points of the supply cable. The conversion 16 or the island wall 18 can be rectangular or U-shaped in cross section. It is particularly advisable to mount the island in the central region of the guide cassette 15 and to make it “U” -shaped, the base surface of the “U” pointing in the direction of the kink 26 of the supply cable 8 or drag chain 11.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a partially sectioned guide cassette 15 with a supply cable 8 contained therein, which is partially surrounded by the drag chain 11 for better illustration. The end of the supply cable 8 on the sliding door side is guided through the slot 21 and is moved by the web 25 to which the drag chain is fastened when the sliding door is moved along the slot 21. In the fully opened state of the door, depending on the length of the drag chain or the cable, an arc can only be hinted at. Only during the closing movement does it then form an arc of 180 °, the point of reversal 26 of the arc of the drag chain 2 moving along the direction of movement 5 within the guide cassette 15. The length of the supply cable 8 or the drag chain 11 between the fixing points is always constant regardless of the movements of the sliding door. The rigidity of the drag chain 11 or the cable must be dimensioned such that, in particular when there is a sliding movement, there are no bulges or crossovers and / or the guides have to be arranged in such a way that the displacement path shown in the figures is maintained.

The invention is not limited to a drag chain in a guide cassette. According to the invention, that regardless of the position of the sliding door 3 with respect to the opening 1, the supply cable 8 does not cross itself and is not overstretched in the longitudinal direction. For example, instead of covering the supply cable 8 with a drag chain, it is possible to provide a covering with another flexible material and to accommodate the supply cable designed in this way between two cover surfaces 17 of a guide cassette, the distance between the cover surfaces preferably being greater than the diameter of the cover Supply cable and less than 1.5 times the jacketed supply cable. This ensures that different sections of the supply cable 8 cannot overlap, thus preventing the supply cable from crossing.

In another variant, it is of course also possible to design a drag chain 11 surrounding the supply cable without a guide cassette 15, since if the drag chain ends are fixed in their plane of movement, it is not possible to evade the drag chain from this plane of motion, even without a guide cassette.

5 chain links of the drag chain or push chain 11 are shown. According to FIG. 5a, the chain links have a U-shaped cross section in the cutting direction BB. The leg surfaces of the "U" are stepped. The sections 12a are spaced further apart than the sections 12b. The sections 12a are provided with bores. The sections 12b have corresponding bolts on their outer sides. The essentially U-shaped chain links also have, at least in part, webs 14, which in the area of the open side of the "U" connect the leg surfaces of the chain links. This serves to fix the supply cable 8 (protection against slipping out of the chain link) and to protect the supply cable 8 against mechanical stress due to friction. The

Connecting surface 12c between the legs 12a serve as stoppers which, when the chain is assembled, limit the rotation of the chain links about their axis of rotation in one direction. 3, only the arch of the chain is permitted in the direction shown and the overall rigidity of the chain is increased.

FIG. 5b shows a cross section of a drag chain along B-B created by joining the chain links shown in FIG. 5a. In addition, a supply cable 8 is inserted into the drag chain 11. The bolts located on the surfaces 12b engage in the corresponding bores in the side surfaces 12a and thus form swivel joints between adjacent chain links. In the installed state of the drag chain 11, the bolts located on the surfaces 12b are oriented with their longitudinal direction in the direction 6 (see FIG. 1), so that there is free mobility in the plane spanned by the vectors 5 and 7 for the push chain.

As explained above, there are motor vehicles in which the guide rail 19 is curved or angled in the direction of the headlining, so that the head height is increased when the sliding door is closed. So that the web 25 as a support element for the door can follow the change in direction, the joint 25 'is provided with a rotational or swivel axis in the direction of movement of the door. But also the

Drag chain with the supply cable must change can follow. Since the drag chain described above can essentially only move in one plane, the drag chain may not be able to follow the direction of movement of the web sufficiently. The chain therefore has at least one chain link which is rotatable about a different axis of rotation than that of the other chain links. For example, the axes of rotation can be perpendicular to one another. In this way it is possible that the chain moving in one plane can change the direction of movement at one point. A plurality of chain links with the respective other (possibly additional) axis of rotation may also be provided at different points, but it is important that the rigidity is ensured in particular in the direction of thrust.

Claims

claims

1.Device for the electrical connection of at least one electrical element located in or on a sliding door of a motor vehicle with an electrical element arranged in the vehicle via a supply cable which, on the one hand, has a connection point on the door side and, on the other hand, a connection point on the inside of the vehicle, each with the on or in The electrical element provided for the sliding door and the electrical element inside the vehicle are connected, characterized in that the supply cable is arranged and guided between the connection points in a guide device to form an arc, the point of reversal moving in the direction of the displacement movement when the sliding door is opened and closed.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide device has the movement of the supply cable (8) limiting guide and deflecting surfaces and elements (11, 16, 18).

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the supply cable (8) and / or. the guide device is designed such that, regardless of the position of the sliding door (3) with respect to the opening (1), the supply cable (8) does not cross itself and is not overstretched in the longitudinal direction.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guide device has a drag chain (11) in which the supply cable (8) is guided at least in sections in a drag chain (11).

5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the drag chain is fixed on the door side and interior side, these fixing points represent the connection points of the supply cable and the length of the supply cable or the drag chain between the fixing points even when moving the door remains.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the drag chain (11) consists of chain links (12), the chain links are rotatably connected via axes of rotation (13) and the axes of rotation of the majority of the chain links are the same in their directional orientation.

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one chain link or a chain link pair has an axis of rotation which has a different directional orientation to the other chain links, preferably is perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the other chain links.

8. The device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the chain links (12) for

Receiving the supply cable (8) two legs and a part connecting them, preferably in the chain longitudinal direction, a U-shaped cross section have pivot joints (13) for connecting the chain link to adjacent chain links are provided on the leg surfaces of the chain links.

9. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that in the region of the open side of the "U" a web (14) is provided to prevent the supply cable (8) from sliding out of the chain link (12).

10. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the supply cable (8) or the drag chain (11) is movably arranged within a guide cassette (15), wherein a lateral conversion (16) of the guide cassette (15th ) and at least one cover surface (17) of the guide cassette (15) limit the range of motion.

11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the lateral conversion (16) of two mutually parallel cover surfaces (17) is included.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 or 11, characterized in that within the guide cassette (15) is an island wall (18) for limiting the range of motion and for channeling the supply cable (8) or the drag chain (11).

13. Device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the guide cassette (15) in the interior of the motor vehicle (4) in the region of the upper guide rail (19) for the door (2) is arranged.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that the supply cable (8) is arranged at least in sections on a in the upper guide rail (19) of the motor vehicle engaging guide element (20) along the sliding door (3).

15. Device according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the guide and deflecting surfaces and elements and / or guide cassette are arranged between the body and the headlining and can be an integral part of the body.

16. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first electrical elements (9) located on the sliding door are motors for driving the sliding door (3) or a central locking system, power window drives, supply devices for communication and information devices and the like on the wall of the second electrical elements (10) is a connection in the headlining of a motor vehicle to an on-board voltage supply or a continuation of the supply cable to an on-board battery.