System with a flap, an actuator and a controler and method for automatic actuation of a flap

0001The present invention relates to a system that has a flap for a motor vehicle, in particular a tank or loading flap, an electromotive actuator, with an output and an electric motor, and an electric motor controller, the electric motor as a function of an electric actuation signal by means of the motor controller can be controlled in such a way that the output of the actuator moves the flap into an open position or a closed position. The invention also relates to a method for the automatic actuation of a flap.

0002Such systems and methods are already known from the prior art in numerous design variants.

0003For example, from the <patcit id="pcit0001" dnum="DE10334719A1"><text>DE 103 34 719 A1</text></patcit> a device is known in which a motor drive for moving a fuel filler flap into its open or closed position is actuated on the basis of a switch-on command or a signal from a person or a filling device. The open position and the closed position of the fuel filler flap are detected by means of Hall sensors in order to switch off the motor drive automatically. Instead of the Hall sensors, according to the<patcit id="pcit0002" dnum="DE10334719A1"><text>DE 103 34 719 A1</text></patcit> reaching the open or closed position can also be detected by evaluating the current and / or voltage characteristics of the motor drive.

0004Furthermore, from the <patcit id="pcit0003" dnum="DE102012018489A1"><text>DE 10 2012 018 489 A1</text></patcit> a flap arrangement for a motor vehicle, with a, in particular pretensioned, movably mounted flap, in particular a tank flap, a holding means for securing the flap, an actuator for actuating the holding means and an actuating means for actuating the actuator known, the actuator being configured to do the To operate holding means for setting and releasing the flap.

0005This is where the present invention begins.

0006The present invention is based on the object of realizing an automatic opening or closing of a flap for a motor vehicle with simple circuitry.

0007This object is achieved by a system with the features of claim 1 and a method with the features of claim 6. The subclaims relate to advantageous developments of the invention.

0008A significant advantage of the invention is in particular that no sensors, such as buttons, proximity switches or the like, or remote controls are required to generate an actuation signal for an electromotive actuator of a flap for a motor vehicle. This enables the use of a simple electrical circuit for controlling an electric motor of the electric motor drive by means of a motor controller. Because the actuation signal is designed as an electrical voltage that can be induced by means of the electric motor as a function of the external movement of the output, the structure of the system is simplified. In addition, components, cabling and installation space are saved, as a result of which a compact and inexpensive construction of the system according to the invention with low weight can be achieved.

0009In principle, the external movement of the actuator output can be freely selected within wide, suitable limits in terms of type, force introduction, force amplitude, direction of action and duration. It is expediently provided that the actuation signal can be generated by means of an external movement of the output counter to an actuating movement of the output that is triggered thereby. For example, transferring the flap into an open position would require an external movement of the output in the direction of a closed position of the flap as an actuation signal and vice versa. If the output is, for example, a shaft with a spur gear or the like, the spur gear and thus the shaft would have to be rotated by the external movement in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation that corresponds to an opening of the flap and vice versa.

0010A particularly advantageous development of the system according to the invention provides that the external movement of the output can be generated by the action of a force on the flap. In this way, an additional handle or the like and a corresponding coupling structure between the handle and the output of the actuator can be dispensed with.

0011A further advantageous development of the system according to the invention provides that the electric motor of the actuator is connected to the engine control by means of at least one electrical supply line and by means of this at least one electrical supply line to an evaluation circuit and the actuation signal can be transmitted to the evaluation circuit by means of this at least one supply line. In this way, the structure of the system according to the invention is additionally simplified.

0012The same applies to an advantageous development of the method according to the invention, which provides that the electric motor of the actuator is connected to the engine control by means of at least one electrical supply line and by means of this at least one electrical supply line to an evaluation circuit and the actuation signal is transmitted to the evaluation circuit by means of this at least one supply line will.

0013In an advantageous development of the last-mentioned embodiment of the system according to the invention, it is provided that the engine control and the evaluation circuit are structurally combined in one structural unit. In this way, a higher degree of integration and thus further space and cost savings are made possible.

0014The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing. It shows the only one<dl id="dl0001" compact="compact"><dt>Fig. 1</dt><dd>an embodiment of the system according to the invention in a roughly schematic representation.</dd></dl>

0015In the only one <figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> an embodiment of the system according to the invention is shown. The system has a flap 2 designed as a tank flap of a motor vehicle, not shown, which can be moved from a closed position to an open position and from the open position to the closed position by means of an electromotive actuator 4. In the closed position, a filling opening of a motor vehicle tank is covered by the tank flap 2 in a manner known to those skilled in the art. In the open position, the filling opening of the motor vehicle tank is accessible from the outside, so that a filling nozzle of a fuel dispensing system can be inserted into the filling opening of the motor vehicle tank. The opening and closing positions of the tank flap 2, as well as the filling opening of the motor vehicle tank and the motor vehicle tank, are not shown.

0016The electromotive actuator 4 has for the actuation of the tank flap 2, that is, for its transfer into the open or closed position, an output 4.1, which in addition to a shaft 4.1.1 that can be driven by an electric motor 4.2 of the actuator 4, a gear 4.1 designed as a spur gear .2 includes.

0017The electric motor 4.2 of the actuator 4 is connected in an electrically conductive manner to a motor controller 6 by means of two electrical supply lines 4.3. In the present exemplary embodiment, the two supply lines 4.3 are additionally connected to an evaluation circuit 8 in an electrically conductive manner, namely in a signal-transmitting manner. In order to generate an actuation signal, the evaluation circuit 8 is also in signal transmission connection with the engine control 6. The motor control 6 and the evaluation circuit 8 are structurally combined here in one structural unit 10.

0018The operation of the system according to the invention and the method according to the invention according to the present exemplary embodiment are described below with reference to FIG <figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> explained in more detail. The signal chain is in the<figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> with hatched arrows and the control chain is in the <figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> symbolized with arrows without hatching.

0019It is initially assumed that the tank flap 2 is in its closed position and the electric motor 4.2 of the actuator 4 is not energized. To refuel the motor vehicle at a petrol pump at a petrol station, the driver or another person presses the tank flap 2 to be opened from the outside, analogous to the push-push opening mechanisms of tank flaps known from the prior art. This force acting on the fuel filler flap 2, in the<figref idref="f0001">Fig. 1</figref> Symbolized by an arrow 5, it is transmitted indirectly to the rotor, not shown, of the electric motor 4.2 by means of the spur gear 4.1.2 and the shaft 4.1.1 of the output 4.1.

0020The pressure 5 on the tank flap 2 thus leads to a rotary movement of the shaft 4.1.1, which in turn leads to a rotary movement of the rotor of the electric motor 4.2. Since the pressure direction 5 runs in the opposite direction to the movement of the tank flap 2 when it is transferred to its open position, the external movement of the output 4.1, i.e. the spur gear 4.1.2 and the shaft 4.1.1, and the rotor of the electric motor 4.2 also runs in the opposite direction the actuating movement of the output 4.1 triggered thereby, namely the transfer of the tank flap 2 into its open position.

0021As a result of the rotation of the rotor of the electric motor 4.2 due to the external movement of the output 4.1, the electric motor 4.2 acts as a generator. The voltage thus induced in the electrical supply lines 4.3 is also present at the signal input of the evaluation circuit 8 due to the signal-transmitting connection between the electrical supply lines 4.3 and the evaluation circuit 8. This input signal is prepared and further processed in the evaluation circuit 8 in a manner known to the person skilled in the art and leads to a control of the actuator 4 by the motor controller 6 in such a way that the actuator 4 automatically transfers the tank flap 2 to its open position by means of the output 4.1. The input signal present at the evaluation circuit 8 is thus designed as an electrical voltage that is induced by means of the electric motor 4.2 as a function of the external movement of the output 4.1.

0022The input signal generated in the above-mentioned manner is thus an electrical actuation signal for controlling the electromotive actuator 4 by the motor controller 6 in order to transfer the tank flap 2 from its closed position to its open position by means of the output 4.1 of the actuator 4. In the open position, the tank flap 2 protrudes from the vehicle body at an angle of approximately 90 °, so that the fuel nozzle can be inserted into the filler opening of the fuel tank.

0023If the tank flap 2 is to be moved from its open position back to the closed position after refueling, the driver or another person presses against the tank flap 2. However, the pressure on the tank flap 2 is from the inside on the tank flap 2, i.e. not on its shown inside. Correspondingly, the external movement of the output 4.1 also takes place to trigger the actuation signal for an actuating movement of the output 4.1 for a transfer of the tank flap 2 from its open position to its closed position opposite to the actuating movement of the output 4.1.

0024The spur gear 4.1.2 and the shaft 4.1.1 of the output 4.1 and the rotor of the electric motor 4.2 are now rotated in the opposite direction compared to the external movement of the output 4.1 to transfer the tank flap 2 into its open position. The electric motor 4.2 again acts as a generator and an electrical voltage is again applied as an input signal to the two supply lines 4.3 and to the evaluation circuit 8 connected to it for signal transmission. However, this electrical voltage has an opposite sign compared to the external movement already explained of the output 4.1 and thus of the rotor of the electric motor 4.2, which leads to a different control of the actuator 4 by the motor controller 6. Namely, to an actuating movement of the actuator 4 corresponding to the transfer of the fuel filler flap 2 from the open position to the closed position. The input signal that is now present at the evaluation circuit 8 is thus in turn designed as an electrical voltage that is induced by the electric motor 4.2 as a function of the external movement of the output 4.1.

0025The input signal generated in the aforementioned manner is thus an electrical actuation signal for controlling the electromotive actuator 4 by the motor controller 6 in order to transfer the tank flap 2 from its open position to its closed position by means of the output 4.1 of the actuator 4.

0026The invention is not limited to the present embodiment. For example, it is not necessary for the output of the electromotive actuator to have a gear, in particular a spur gear. Any other suitable type of external movement of the output can also be used, including in the direction of the actuating movement of the output triggered by means of the actuation signal.

0027The same applies to the type of electric motor of the electric motor actuator. The person skilled in the art will select the appropriate means depending on the application.

0028The flap can also be a loading flap, for example for an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle. However, other flaps for a motor vehicle are also fundamentally conceivable. The term "flap" is to be interpreted broadly and means any type of lid, cover or the like.

0029In the exemplary embodiment, the supply of the electric motor of the electric motor actuator is designed as an electrical two-wire supply line, that is to say as two electrical supply lines. However, it is also possible to use only a single-wire supply line and to connect one of the electrical connections of the electric motor to ground. If a brushless electric motor is used, multi-pole supply lines, in particular three supply lines, are also possible.

0030The invention thus combines the advantages of a well-known and proven operation of a flap, in particular a tank or loading flap, namely the push-push operation with vehicle drivers and other operators, with a simplified electrical circuit when implemented using an electromotive actuator for transferring the Flap in its open and / or closed position.

List of reference symbols

0031<dl id="dl0002" compact="compact"><dt>2</dt><dd>Flap, designed as a tank flap</dd><dt>4</dt><dd>Electromotive actuator</dd><dt>4.1</dt><dd>Output of the electromotive actuator 4</dd><dt>4.1.1</dt><dd>Output shaft 4.1</dd><dt>4.1.2</dt><dd>Gear of the output 4.1, designed as a spur gear</dd><dt>4.2</dt><dd>Electric motor of the electric motor actuator 4</dd><dt>4.3</dt><dd>Electrical supply lines for the electric motor 4.2</dd><dt>5</dt><dd>Force applied to the flap 2</dd><dt>6</dt><dd>Engine control</dd><dt>8</dt><dd>Evaluation circuit</dd><dt>10</dt><dd>Unit</dd></dl>