Spindle drive, in particular for adjusting a movable part in a motor vehicle, and a method for manufacturing this spindle drive

1. A spindle drive ( 10 ) for adjusting a movable part ( 58 ) in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a drive assembly ( 42 ) for driving a drive wheel ( 18 ) supported on a spindle ( 16 ), the drive wheel ( 18 ) being rotatably supported in a support tube ( 14 ), wherein said support tube ( 14 ) includes a receptacle ( 52 ) for a fastening device ( 54 ) for diverting crash forces;

a guide tube ( 64 ) that accommodates the spindle ( 16 ) and overlaps axially with the support tube ( 14 ), wherein said guide tube ( 64 ) is disposed coaxially with the spindle ( 16 ); and

an adapter ring ( 88 );

wherein an end ( 20 ) of the support tube ( 14 ) or the adapter ring ( 88 ) includes an axial stop ( 75 ) for the spindle nut ( 76 ).

2. The spindle drive ( 10 ) as recited in claim 1 , wherein the support tube ( 14 ) and the guide tube ( 64 ) are cylindrical in design, and the guide tube ( 64 ) is inserted on or in the support tube ( 14 ).

3. The spindle drive ( 10 ) as recited in claim 1 , wherein an inner wall ( 80 ) of the guide tube ( 64 ) bears directly and radially against an outer wall ( 68 ) of the support tube ( 14 ).

4. The spindle drive ( 10 ) as recited in claim 1 , wherein the end ( 20 ) of the support tube ( 14 ) or the adapter ring ( 88 ) is designed in the shape of a peg to accommodate the support tube ( 64 ), and wherein the end ( 20 ) of the support tube ( 14 ) or the adapter ring ( 88 ) includes an axial stop ( 74 , 87 ) for the guide tube ( 64 ).

5. The spindle drive ( 10 ) as recited in claim 1 , wherein a counternut ( 76 ) that is guided inside the guide tube ( 64 ) is rotatably located on the spindle ( 16 ).

6. The spindle drive ( 10 ) as recited in claim 1 , wherein the drive assembly ( 42 ) includes a transmission housing ( 46 ), wherein the guide tube ( 64 ) is attached via said transmission housing ( 46 ) opposite to the support tube ( 14 ) without the use of separate connecting means.

7. The spindle drive ( 10 ) as recited in claim 1 , wherein a transmission housing ( 46 , 47 , 48 ) is configured to be radially installable and includes radially inwardly oriented projections ( 90 ) as fastening means ( 89 ), wherein said projections ( 90 ) which engage in recesses ( 92 ) formed as fastening means ( 89 ) in the guide tube ( 64 ), and in recesses ( 93 ) in the support tube ( 14 ).

8. The spindle drive ( 10 ) as recited in claim 1 , wherein the support tube ( 14 ) includes a pot-shaped axial end plate ( 22 ), wherein said pot-shaped axial end plate ( 22 ) is designed as one piece with the support tube ( 14 ), or is attached in the support tube ( 14 ) as a separately-designed component ( 98 ).

9. The spindle drive ( 10 ) as recited in claim 1 , wherein the support tube ( 14 ) includes a pot-shaped axial end plate ( 22 ), wherein said pot-shaped axial end plate ( 22 ) is designed as one piece with the support tube ( 14 ) formed using a deep-drawing method in one working step.

10. The spindle drive ( 9 ) as recited in claim 9 , wherein the spindle ( 16 ) extends out of the support tube ( 14 ) through an opening ( 24 ) in the pot-shaped axial end plate ( 22 ).

11. The spindle drive ( 10 ) as recited in claim 1 , wherein the spindle drive ( 10 ) comprises a first assembly ( 12 ), wherein in said first assembly the spindle ( 16 ) with the drive wheel ( 18 ) located thereon is supported in the support tube ( 14 ), wherein the support tube ( 14 ) with the guide tube ( 64 ) inserted thereon is a pre-fabricated module, wherein a transmission housing ( 46 ) is installable onto said pre-fabricated module in a later assembly process,

wherein the drive assembly ( 42 ) is formed as an electric motor ( 43 ) that includes the transmission housing ( 46 ), wherein said transmission housing ( 46 ) is connected with said first assembly ( 12 ) using a coupling device ( 44 ).

12. The spindle drive ( 10 ) as recited in claim 11 , wherein to transfer a drive torque from the drive assembly ( 42 ) to the first assembly ( 12 ), the support tube ( 14 ) includes a radial recess ( 50 ) into which a driven element ( 40 ) engages.

13. A spindle drive ( 10 ) for adjusting a movable part ( 58 ) in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a drive assembly ( 42 ) for driving a drive wheel ( 18 ) supported on a spindle ( 16 ), the drive wheel ( 18 ) being rotatably supported in a support tube ( 14 ), wherein said support tube ( 14 ) includes a receptacle ( 52 ) for a fastening device ( 54 ) for diverting crash forces;

a guide tube ( 64 ) that accommodates the spindle ( 16 ) and overlaps axially with the support tube ( 14 ), wherein said guide tube ( 64 ) is disposed coaxially with the spindle ( 16 ); and

an adapter ring ( 88 ) is located radially between the support tube ( 14 ) and the guide tube ( 64 ).

14. A spindle drive ( 10 ) for adjusting a movable part ( 58 ) in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a drive assembly ( 42 ) for driving a drive wheel ( 18 ) supported on a spindle ( 16 ), the drive wheel ( 18 ) being rotatably supported in a support tube ( 14 ), wherein said support tube ( 14 ) includes a receptacle ( 52 ) for a fastening device ( 54 ) for diverting crash forces;

a guide tube ( 64 ) that accommodates the spindle ( 16 ) and overlaps axially with the support tube ( 14 ), wherein said guide tube ( 64 ) is disposed coaxially with the spindle ( 16 );

wherein a transmission housing ( 46 , 47 , 48 ) is configured to be radially installable and includes radially inwardly oriented projections ( 90 ) as fastening means ( 89 ), wherein said projections ( 90 ) engage in recesses ( 92 ) formed as fastening means ( 89 ) in the guide tube ( 64 ), and in recesses ( 93 ) in the support tube ( 14 ); and

wherein the fastening means ( 89 ) are located symmetrically to a central plane ( 94 ) of the drive wheel ( 18 ) wherein said central plane ( 94 ) extends transversely to the spindle ( 16 ).

15. A spindle drive ( 10 ) for adjusting a movable part ( 58 ) in a motor vehicle, comprising:

a drive assembly ( 42 ) for driving a drive wheel ( 18 ) supported on a spindle ( 16 ), the drive wheel ( 18 ) being rotatably supported in a support tube ( 14 ), wherein said support tube ( 14 ) includes a receptacle ( 52 ) for a fastening device ( 54 ) for diverting crash forces;

a guide tube ( 64 ) that accommodates the spindle ( 16 ) and overlaps axially with the support tube ( 14 ), wherein said guide tube ( 64 ) is disposed coaxially with the spindle ( 16 );

wherein a transmission housing ( 46 , 47 , 48 ) is configured to be radially installable and includes radially inwardly oriented projections ( 90 ) as fastening means ( 89 ), wherein said projections ( 90 ) engage in recesses ( 92 ) formed as fastening means ( 89 ) in the guide tube ( 64 ), and in recesses ( 93 ) in the support tube ( 14 ); and

wherein outer contours ( 15 ) of the support tube ( 14 ) and the guide tube ( 64 ), and an inner contour ( 49 ) of the transmission housing ( 46 , 47 , 48 ) with the fastening means ( 89 ) are configured such that the spindle ( 16 ) is installable with the guide tube ( 64 ) in two 180° installation positions that are rotated by 180° relative to each other without having to change the design of the components used.

16. A method for manufacturing a spindle drive ( 10 ), comprising the following steps:

providing a spindle ( 16 );

providing a drive wheel ( 18 ) supported on a spindle ( 16 ), the drive wheel ( 18 ) being rotatably supported in a support tube ( 14 );

providing a guide tube ( 64 ) that accommodates the spindle ( 16 ) and overlaps axially with the support tube ( 14 );

inserting the spindle ( 16 ), with the drive wheel ( 18 ), in the support tube ( 14 );

axially inserting the guide tube ( 64 ) in or on the support tube ( 14 ), wherein a transmission housing ( 46 , 47 , 48 ) is located radially around the support tube ( 14 ) and the guide tube ( 64 ), thereby connecting the guide tube ( 64 ) with the support tube ( 14 ) in a centered manner,

wherein the transmission housing ( 46 ) is always used for various installation positions of the spindle drive ( 10 ), into which the support tube ( 14 ) with the guide tube ( 64 ) and the spindle ( 16 ) may be selectively installed, such that the spindle ( 16 ) extends axially out of the transmission housing ( 46 ) on one side or the opposite side.