IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,030,375
Granted Patent B2
US 12,030,375 · App. 17/299,640 · Granted Jul 9, 2024

Covering device for a vehicle and actuator

Inventors: Zsolt Wilke (Bad Mergentheim, DE); Andreas Rudolf (Würzburg, DE); Christian Beck (Röttingen, DE); Matthias Hegwein (Ippesheim, DE)
Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS, INC.
B60K15/05B60K2015/053B60K2015/0538B60K2015/0546B60K2015/0561
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,030,375
App. No.
17/299,640
Granted
Jul 9, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A covering device ( 100 ) for a vehicle, includes: a cover ( 10 ); a drive element ( 40 a, 40 b ) formed to enable a movement of the cover, wherein the drive element brings about a force which acts on the cover. The covering device has a force-limitation apparatus ( 30 a, 30 b ) which limits the force brought about by the drive element to a limit force so that the covering device is protected in the event of an overload acting on the covering device and/or a user is protected when using the covering device. An actuator ( 200 ) has a drive apparatus ( 210 ) with a drive element ( 211 ); an output drive element ( 290 ); and a force-decoupling apparatus ( 230 ). The force-decoupling apparatus is formed so that it at least temporarily does not output a force taken up by the drive element or at least temporarily outputs it in a delayed manner to the output drive element.

Claims (20)

1. A covering device for a vehicle, wherein the covering device comprises:

a cover which is formed to cover an opening and/or a recess in the vehicle;

a drive element which is formed to enable a movement of the cover,

wherein the drive element brings about a force which acts on the cover and which enables the movement of the cover, wherein the covering device furthermore has a force-limitation apparatus which limits the force brought about by the drive element to a limit force so that the covering device is protected in the event of an overload acting on the covering device and/or a user is protected when using the covering device;

wherein the force-limitation apparatus comprises an elastic element having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected for movement with a first movable element and the second end is connected for movement with a second movable element;

wherein the force-limitation apparatus has the following:

a control lever which is connected to the drive element; and

the first movable element is the control lever and the second movable element is the cover,

wherein the drive element pretensions the elastic element, and wherein the elastic element brings about an opening process or closing process of the cover during relief of tension.

2. The covering device as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein the drive element pretensions the elastic element by a lifting movement in such a manner that the direction of action of the elastic element is reversed between the opening and closing process of the cover.

3. The covering device as claimed in claim 2 ,

wherein the drive element moves downward in order to initiate the opening process of the cover and thus moves the control lever into an upper position in which the elastic element is pretensioned in the first direction of action.

4. The covering device as claimed in claim 2 ,

wherein the drive element moves upward in order to initiate the closing process of the cover and thus moves the control lever into a lower position in which the elastic element is pretensioned in the second direction of action.

5. A covering device for a vehicle, wherein the covering device comprises:

a cover which is formed to cover an opening and/or a recess in the vehicle;

a drive element which is formed to enable a movement of the cover,

wherein the drive element brings about a force which acts on the cover and which enables the movement of the cover, wherein the covering device furthermore has a force-limitation apparatus which limits the force brought about by the drive element to a limit force so that the covering device is protected in the event of an overload acting on the covering device and/or a user is protected when using the covering device;

wherein the force-limitation apparatus comprises a control lever movable via the drive element, and a spring element, the spring element having a first leg and a second leg, wherein the first leg is connected for movement with the control lever and the second leg is connected for movement with the cover.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 3, 2021
From: WILKE, ZSOLT; RUDOLF, ANDREAS; BECK, CHRISTIAN; HEGWEIN, MATTHIAS
To: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
Reel/Frame 056475/0870 →
Priority Claims (2)
DE 10 2018 131 807.3 · Dec 11, 2018 · national
DE 10 2019 114 706.9 · May 31, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220024299A1 · Jan 27, 2022