US 12,227,981 B2
Spindle drive for a closure element of a motor vehicle
Michael Schneiderbanger, Rattelsdorf (DE); and Tobias Zwosta, Wilhelmsthal (DE)
Assigned to Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Bamberg, (DE)
Appl. No. 17/921,853
Filed by Brose Fahrzeugteile SE & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft, Bamberg, Bamberg (DE)
PCT Filed Apr. 30, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/061419
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 27, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/224132, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 11, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2020 111 986.0 (DE), filed on May 4, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0175302 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. E05F 15/622 (2015.01); E05F 1/10 (2006.01)
CPC E05F 15/622 (2015.01) [E05F 1/105 (2013.01); E05F 1/1058 (2013.01); E05Y 2201/474 (2013.01); E05Y 2900/546 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A spindle drive for a closure element for use in a motor vehicle, the spindle drive comprising:
a drive unit;
a spindle and spindle nut gear mechanism disposed downstream of the drive unit the spindle and spindle nut gear mechanism including a spindle, a spindle nut, and a spindle guide tube collectively configured to at least partially generate driving movements along a drive longitudinal axis, the spindle guide tube having a round cross-section and a constant thickness across an entire length of the spindle guide tube and at least one open axial end;
the spindle meshes with the spindle nut, the spindle guide tube is axially fixed to the spindle nut and configured to be adjusted in a telescopic manner along the drive longitudinal axis relative to the spindle, the spindle is disposed in the spindle guide tube and configured to translate within in a spindle-guiding region of the spindle guide tube;
a number of drive connectors each configured to transfer the driving movements out of the spindle drive, the number of drive connectors collectively configured to be adjusted relative to one another along the drive longitudinal axis between a retracted state and a deployed state, a first drive connector of the number of drive connectors is axially fixed to the spindle guide tube, a second drive connector of the number of drive connectors axially fixed to the spindle; and
a drive spring configured engage at least one of the number of drive connectors and to at least partially generate the driving movements along the drive longitudinal axis,
wherein the spindle guide tube includes a first external radius extending along at least one axial portion of the spindle guiding region,
the spindle guide tube including a tube end portion disposed on a side of the spindle guide tube facing the first drive connector, the tube end portion provided with a tube end edge, at least a portion of a circumference of the tube end portion is radially enlarged with respect to other portions of the spindle guide tube so that the tube end edge includes an outer end edge radius in relation to the drive longitudinal axis, the outer end edge radius is larger than the first external radius, and the tube end portion is configured to secure the drive spring to inhibit movement of the drive spring along the drive longitudinal axis.