IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,480,349
Granted Patent B2
US 12,480,349 · App. 17/428,666 · Granted Nov 25, 2025

Drivetrain

Inventors: Stephan Henzler (Ubstadt-Weiher, DE); Markus Först (Bamberg, DE)
Assignee: Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft
E05F15/622E05Y2201/216E05Y2201/236E05Y2201/244E05Y2201/246E05Y2201/26E05Y2201/266E05Y2201/49E05Y2201/608E05Y2201/632E05Y2400/3013E05Y2900/546
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,480,349
App. No.
17/428,666
Granted
Nov 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A drivetrain for the motorized movement of a motor vehicle closure including at least one friction lock mechanism to provide a friction torque, the friction lock mechanism being part of a coupling mechanism of the drivetrain for coupling two drive components of the drivetrain for conjoint rotation, including a coupling piece on the motor side to a drive component on the motor side and via a coupling piece remote from the motor to a drive component remote from the motor, and including multiple friction lock elements which can be rotated about a drive axis, are situated coaxially to one another and form the friction lock mechanism, a middle one of the friction lock elements being concentric to one another and in frictional engagement with two others of the friction lock elements.

Claims (57)

1 . A drivetrain of a drive for motorized displacement of a closure element of a motor vehicle, wherein the drive comprises a drive motor, the drivetrain comprising:

a coupling mechanism configured to couple two drive components of the drivetrain in a rotationally secure manner,

a friction engagement mechanism configured to provide a friction torque between a motor-side component of the drive components and a motor-averted component of the drive components,

wherein the friction engagement mechanism is a component of a coupling mechanism of the drivetrain,

wherein the coupling mechanism is coupled in a rotationally secure manner to the motor-side component of the drive components via a motor-side coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and to the motor-averted component of the drive components via a motor-averted coupling piece of the coupling mechanism,

wherein the motor-side component of the drive components of the drivetrain is a drive shaft formed by a gear shaft of an intermediate gear mechanism,

wherein the motor-averted component of the drive components of the drivetrain is a gear mechanism component of a gear mechanism provided with a spindle and spindle nut,

wherein the coupling mechanism includes a plurality of friction engagement elements, including at least a central element and two additional elements, configured to be rotated about a drive axle and are arranged coaxially relative to each other in the drivetrain and which form the friction engagement mechanism, wherein the central element of the friction engagement elements is in frictional engagement with the two additional elements of the plurality of friction engagement elements,

wherein the plurality of friction engagement elements are arranged concentrically relative to each other at least in portions,

wherein the central friction engagement element is a tolerance ring clamped radially between the two additional elements of the friction engagement elements in order to provide a friction engagement connection, and

wherein the motor-averted coupling piece of the coupling mechanism includes a plurality of radial or axial protrusions received within associated recesses formed in the motor-averted component of the drive components to form an axial, rotationally interlocked plug connection between the motor-averted coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the motor-averted component of the drive components.

2 . The drivetrain of claim 1 , wherein the central friction engagement element includes a plurality of radial protrusions extending in a peripheral direction.

3 . The drivetrain of claim 1 , wherein the radial protrusions of the central friction engagement element extend radially inwardly and/or radially outwardly.

4 . The drivetrain of claim 1 , wherein the coupling mechanism is configured as an overload coupling connected between the two drive components of the drivetrain.

5 . The drivetrain of claim 1 , wherein a breakaway torque between the central friction engagement element and an inner friction engagement element of the two additional elements of the plurality of friction engagement elements, arranged radially inside the central friction engagement element, is greater than a breakaway torque between the central friction engagement element and an outer friction engagement element of the two additional elements of the plurality of friction engagement elements, arranged radially outside the central friction engagement element.

6 . The drivetrain of claim 1 , wherein a radially internal friction face of the central friction engagement element and/or a radially external friction face of the central friction engagement element and/or a friction face formed by an inner friction engagement element arranged radially inside the central friction engagement element and/or a friction face formed by an outer friction engagement element arranged radially outside the central friction engagement element is/are metal.

7 . The drivetrain of claim 1 , wherein the central friction engagement element is partially or completely formed of metal.

8 . The drivetrain of claim 1 , wherein a ratio between a maximum outer radius of the central friction engagement element and an axial length of the central friction engagement element is at least 1.

9 . The drivetrain of claim 1 , wherein an inner friction engagement element of the two additional elements arranged radially inside the central friction engagement element and/or an outer friction engagement element of the two additional elements arranged radially outside the central friction engagement element is/are in multiple pieces.

10 . The drivetrain of claim 9 , wherein a first portion of the inner friction engagement element and/or of the outer friction engagement element is formed of a metal material.

11 . The drivetrain of claim 1 , wherein an inner friction engagement element of the two additional elements arranged radially inside the central friction engagement element and an outer friction engagement element of the two additional elements arranged radially outside the central friction engagement element coupled to each other in an axially positive-locking manner and/or are locked to each other.

12 . The drivetrain of claim 1 , wherein an inner friction engagement element of the two additional elements arranged radially inside the central friction engagement element forms the motor-side coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and an outer friction engagement element of the two additional elements arranged radially outside the central friction engagement element forms the motor-averted coupling piece of the coupling mechanism, or

wherein the inner friction engagement element forms the motor-averted coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the outer friction engagement element, arranged radially outside the central friction engagement element, forms the motor-side coupling piece of the coupling mechanism.

13 . The drivetrain of claim 1 , wherein the motor-side coupling piece of the coupling mechanism includes a plurality of radial or axial protrusions received within associated recesses formed in the motor-side component of the drive components to form an axial, rotationally interlocked plug connection between the motor side coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the motor-side component of the drive components.

14 . A drive for motorized displacement of a closure element of a motor vehicle, the drive comprising:

the drivetrain of claim 1 .

15 . A closure element arrangement of a motor vehicle provided with a vehicle body and a closure element coupled to the vehicle body, the closure arrangement comprising:

the drivetrain of claim 13 .

16 . The drivetrain of claim 2 , wherein the protrusions are stamped portions.

17 . The drivetrain of claim 3 , wherein the radially inward extending protrusions form a radially internal friction face configured to engage a friction face formed by an inner friction engagement element arranged radially inside the central friction engagement element.

18 . The drivetrain of claim 1 , wherein a breakaway torque between the central friction engagement element and the outer friction engagement element is greater than a breakaway torque between the central friction engagement element and the inner friction engagement element arranged radially inside the central friction engagement element.

19 . The drivetrain of claim 7 , wherein the central friction engagement element is a metal ring extending continuously in a peripheral direction.

20 . The drivetrain of claim 7 , wherein the central friction engagement element is a metal ring defining a number of slots extending in a peripheral direction.

21 . A drivetrain of a drive for motorized displacement of a closure element of a motor vehicle, wherein the drive comprises a drive motor, the drivetrain comprising:

a coupling mechanism configured to couple two drive components of the drivetrain in a rotationally secure manner,

a friction engagement mechanism configured to provide a friction torque between a motor-side component of the drive components and a motor-averted component of the drive components,

wherein the friction engagement mechanism is a component of the coupling mechanism of the drivetrain,

wherein the coupling mechanism is coupled in a rotationally secure manner to the motor-side component of the drive components via a motor-side coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and to the motor-averted component of the drive components via a motor-averted coupling piece of the coupling mechanism,

wherein the motor-side component of the drive components of the drivetrain is a drive shaft formed by a gear shaft of an intermediate gear mechanism,

wherein the motor-averted component of the drive components of the drivetrain is a gear mechanism component of a gear mechanism provided with a spindle and spindle nut,

wherein the coupling mechanism includes a plurality of friction engagement elements, including at least a central element and two additional elements, configured to be rotated about a drive axle and are arranged coaxially relative to each other in the drivetrain and which form the friction engagement mechanism, wherein the central element of the friction engagement elements is in frictional engagement with the two additional elements of the plurality of friction engagement elements,

wherein the friction engagement elements are arranged concentrically relative to each other at least in portions, and

wherein the central friction engagement element is a tolerance ring clamped radially between the two additional elements of the friction engagement elements in order to provide a friction engagement connection,

wherein one of the motor-averted coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the motor-averted component of the drive components includes axially protruding flanges received within associated notches formed in the other one of the motor-averted coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the motor-averted component of the drive components, to form a claw type coupling between the motor-averted coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the motor-averted component of the drive components.

22 . The drivetrain of claim 21 , wherein one of the motor-side coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the motor-side component of the drive components includes axially protruding flanges received within associated notches formed in the other one of the motor-side coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the motor-side component of the drive components, to form a claw type coupling between the motor-side coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the motor-side component of the drive components.

23 . A drivetrain of a drive for motorized displacement of a closure element of a motor vehicle, wherein the drive comprises a drive motor, the drivetrain comprising:

a coupling mechanism configured to couple two drive components of the drivetrain in a rotationally secure manner,

a friction engagement mechanism configured to provide a friction torque between a motor-side component of the drive components and a motor-averted component of the drive components,

wherein the friction engagement mechanism is a component of the coupling mechanism of the drivetrain,

wherein the coupling mechanism is coupled in a rotationally secure manner to the motor-side component of the drive components via a motor-side coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and to the motor-averted component of the drive components via a motor-averted coupling piece of the coupling mechanism,

wherein the motor-side component of the drive components of the drivetrain is a drive shaft formed by a gear shaft of an intermediate gear mechanism,

wherein the motor-averted component of the drive components of the drivetrain is a gear mechanism component of a gear mechanism provided with a spindle and spindle nut,

wherein the coupling mechanism includes a plurality of friction engagement elements, including at least a central element and two additional elements, configured to be rotated about a drive axle and are arranged coaxially relative to each other in the drivetrain and which form the friction engagement mechanism, wherein the central element of the friction engagement elements is in frictional engagement with the two additional elements of the plurality of friction engagement elements,

wherein the friction engagement elements are arranged concentrically relative to each other at least in portions, and

wherein the central friction engagement element is a tolerance ring clamped radially between the two additional elements of the friction engagement elements in order to provide a friction engagement connection,

wherein one of the motor-averted coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the motor-averted component of the drive components includes radially inner teeth engaging with associated radially outer teeth formed in the other one of the motor-averted coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the motor-averted component of the drive components, to form a multiple-toothed connection between the motor-averted coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the motor-averted component of the drive components.

24 . The drivetrain of claim 23 , wherein one of the motor-side coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the motor-side component of the drive components includes radially inner teeth engaging with associated radially outer teeth formed in the other one of the motor-side coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the motor-side component of the drive components, to form a multiple-toothed connection between the motor-side coupling piece of the coupling mechanism and the motor-side component of the drive components.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 15, 2023
From: HENZLER, STEPHAN; FÖRST, MARKUS
To: BROSE FAHRZEUGTEILE SE & CO. KOMMANDITGESELLSCHAFT, BAMBERG
Reel/Frame 062762/0316 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2019 102 857.4 · Feb 5, 2019 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220127894A1 · Apr 28, 2022
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