IP Library Granted Patent US 7,556,304
Granted Patent B2
US 7,556,304 · App. 11/715,691 · Granted Jul 7, 2009

Actuation device for vehicle panel

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,556,304
App. No.
11/715,691
Granted
Jul 7, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

Arrangement, in particular for a motor vehicle, having a closing device which can be pivoted about an axis between a closed and an open position, for example a boot lid or a tailgate, a compensating device acting on the closing device, in particular at least one gas-pressure spring, which is pretensioned and a counter-force opposes the weight of the closing device, and a motor-driven drive which can be operated at least unidirectionally, in particular bidirectionally, in order to pivot the closing device about the axis in at least one direction, wherein the motor-driven drive is designed to be repellable, in order to facilitate manual actuation of the closing device. Friction means are provided, which act on the closing device both during manual actuation of the closing device and during actuation by the drive at a preset friction torque, wherein the friction torque within the pivoting range of the closing device or of a part range thereof is greater than the extent of the difference of a first torque produced by the weight of the closing device and a second torque produced by the counter-force of the compensating device.

Claims (8)

1. An actuation device for a motor vehicle, having a closing device which can be pivoted about an axis between a closed and an open position, a compensating device acting on the closing device, which is pretensioned and a counter-force (F F ) opposes the weight (F G ) of the closing device, and a motor-driven drive which can be operated at least unidirectionally, in order to pivot the closing device about the axis in at least one direction, wherein the motor-driven drive is repellable, in order to facilitate manual actuation of the closing device, wherein friction means are provided, which act on the closing device both during manual actuation of the closing device and during actuation by the drive at a preset friction torque, wherein the friction torque within pivoting range of the closing device or of a part range thereof is greater than the extent of the difference of a first torque (M G ) produced by the weight (F G ) of the closing device and a second torque (M F ) produced by the counter-force (F F ) of the compensating device.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the torques (M G , M F ) directed in opposing manner are essentially the same size at least at an average operating temperature of the compensating device.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the compensating device is designed such that the counter-force (F F ) exerted by said compensating device is independent of the temperature.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the compensating device is arranged and/or orientated such that the rotational position of the closing device, in which the first torque (M G ) assumes a maximum value, corresponds essentially to the rotational position of the closing device, in which the second torque (M F ) assumes a maximum value.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the friction torque is the same size in all rotational positions of the closing device which lie within the pivoting range or the part range thereof.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the friction means comprise a brake.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the friction means are connected by one part rigidly to a wall, and by a further part rigidly to the axis or a shaft of the drive, wherein the friction torque can be produced between the two parts.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the compensating device, is provided on the one side of the closing device, and the drive is provided on the other side of the closing device.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 3, 2008
From: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: STRATTEC POWER ACCESS LLC
Reel/Frame 021912/0798 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2007
From: BUESCHER, HANS-JOACHIM
To: DELPHI TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 019248/0364 →