IP Library Granted Patent US 8,943,916
Granted Patent B2
US 8,943,916 · App. 13/238,492 · Granted Feb 3, 2015

Chassis actuator

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,943,916
App. No.
13/238,492
Granted
Feb 3, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A chassis actuator adjusting a movably mounted component of a chassis, which has a first actuator component connected to the movably mounted component and a second actuator component connected to a fixed chassis component. The actuator components are adjustable axially by a ball screw that has a threaded spindle and a nut which runs on spindle. The nut is driveable by a drive motor that has a rotor coupled to the nut and a fixed stator arranged axially symmetrically with respect to the nut. The rotor is coupled to the nut by a wrap spring which radially surrounds the nut and via which the nut is rotated during rotation of the rotor and which forms a brake device. The brake device can be actuated by an external chassis force which acts on and rotates the nut and builds up a friction moment that counteracts the rotation of the nut.

Claims (22)

1. A chassis actuator for adjusting a movably mounted component of a vehicle chassis, comprising:

a first actuator component for connecting to the movably mounted component;

a second actuator component for connecting to a positionally fixed chassis component;

a ball screw, which can axially adjust the first actuator component, comprising a threaded spindle and a nut which runs on the threaded spindle;

two bearings axially spaced from one another radially surrounding the nut;

a drive motor, which can drive the nut, comprising a stator arranged coaxially with respect to the nut, for axial adjustment of the threaded spindle and

a rotor, which is rotatably mounted on the nut by the two bearings; and

a wrap spring axially aligned with said bearings and radially surrounding the nut coupling the nut to the rotor such that rotational movement of the rotor rotates the nut and external chassis forces acting on the nut are counteracted by the wrap spring and,

a further fixed bearing having an extension, said extension radially surrounding said wrap spring.

2. The chassis actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the rotor is mounted on the nut by a fixed bearing and a floating bearing.

3. The chassis actuator according to claim 2 , wherein the floating bearing is a needle-roller bearing or a plain bearing.

4. The chassis actuator according to claim 2 , wherein the floating bearing is arranged in a region of an end of the rotor, which is connected to the wrap spring.

5. The chassis actuator according to claim 2 , wherein the fixed bearing is a ball bearing or a four-point bearing.

6. The chassis actuator according to claim 2 , further comprising two circlips and a further circlip, wherein the rotor has an annular collar and the fixed bearing has an inner ring and an outer ring and is fixed by the inner ring to the nut by the two circlips and to the rotor by contact with the outer ring against the annular collar with the further circlip.

7. The chassis actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the rotor is a sleeve.

8. The chassis actuator according to claim 1 , wherein an inner diameter of the stator is larger, over a length overlapping the rotor, than an outer diameter of the rotor.

9. The chassis actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the nut is of hollow cylindrical and sleeve-like design.

10. The chassis actuator according to claim 1 , further comprising closing elements, which interact with the wrap spring and are arranged on an outer side of the nut.

11. The chassis actuator according to claim 10 , wherein the closing elements are pressed onto the outer side of the nut.

12. The chassis actuator according to claim 1 , further comprising closing elements, which interact with the wrap spring and are arranged on the rotor.

13. The chassis actuator according to claim 12 , wherein the closing elements are integrally formed on or pressed onto or pressed into the rotor.

14. The chassis actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the drive motor is an electric motor.

Assignments (5)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PROPERTY NUMBERS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 037732 FRAME 0347. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE APP. NO. 14/553248 SHOULD BE APP. NO. 14/553258. Recorded Oct 11, 2016
From: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 040404/0530 →
MERGER AND CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 5, 2016
From: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG; SCHAEFFLER VERWALTUNGS 5 GMBH
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 037732/0228 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Feb 5, 2016
From: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 037732/0347 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 11, 2012
From: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES AG & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 028533/0036 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 21, 2011
From: OSTERLAENGER, JUERGEN; LAUGER, MARK; MEHLIS, THOMAS
To: SCHAEFFLER TECHNOLOGIES GMBH & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 026941/0879 →