EP-4735308-A1 - APPARATUS HAVING A MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL TRANSMISSION DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus (100) comprising a magnetorheological transmission device (1) having two rotary components (2, 3) that are movable relative to one another. Formed between the rotary components (2, 3) is a working gap (4) with a magnetorheological medium (5). An electrical coil unit (6) is used to generate a controllable magnetic field in the working gap (4). A supplementary brake (7) serves to brake the rotatability of the rotary components (2, 3) if the magnetic field of the coil unit (6) breaks down. The supplementary brake (7) comprises a magnetic element (17) which extends in the circumferential direction of the working gap (4) and has at least one magnetic unit (27) including at least one permanent magnet (37) that extends only over part of the circumference.

Inventors

• Dönz, Philipp
• HAAG, JOHANNES
• BATTLOGG, STEFAN

Assignees

• INVENTUS Engineering GmbH

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240628

Claims (1)

1. Claims: 1. Device (100) comprising a magnetorheological transmission device (1) with at least two rotary components (2, 3) that can be moved relative to one another, comprising a radially inner rotary component (2) and a radially outer rotary component (3), wherein an active gap (4) is formed between the rotary components (2, 3) and wherein a magnetorheological medium (5) is arranged in the active gap (4), and comprising at least one electrical coil device (6) for generating a controllable magnetic field in the active gap (4) in order to influence the rotatability of the rotary components (2, 3) in normal operation, and comprising an additional brake (7) for braking the rotatability of the rotary components (2, 3) when the magnetic field of the coil device (6) is lost and in particular in the event of a malfunction, characterized in that the additional brake (7) has a magnet device (17) that extends at least partially in the circumferential direction of the active gap (4), which has at least one magnet unit (27) with at least one permanent magnet (37) extending only over a part of a circumference. 2. Device (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the at least one magnet unit (27) is arranged and preferably fastened to one of the rotary components (2, 3). 3. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one magnet unit (27) is arranged on the radially outer rotary component (3). 4. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one magnet unit (27) is arranged at least partially on a radial outer side (13) of the rotary component (2, 3) facing away from the active gap (4). 5. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one magnet unit (27) can be mounted from radially outside the radially outer rotary component (3) and/or wherein the at least one magnet unit (27) can be mounted when the medium (5) is arranged in the active gap (4). 6. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one magnet unit (27) is arranged at a distance from a rotation axis of the rotary components (2, 3) and coaxially to the rotary components (2, 3) and the effective gap (4). 7. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one magnet unit (27) is magnetically conductively connected to one of the rotary components (2, 3). 8. Device (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the at least one permanent magnet (37) is directly connected to the rotary component (2, 3) and wherein the rotary component (2, 3) has at least one flattened portion (33) at least in a receiving region (23) for the permanent magnet (37) or wherein the at least one permanent magnet (37) is curved at least in a contact region (37a) for contact with the rotary component (2, 3). 9. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the magnet device (17) comprises at least one magnetically conductive connection unit (8) and wherein the at least one magnet unit (27) is magnetically conductively connected to one of the rotary components (2, 3) by means of the at least one connection unit (8). 10. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the rotary components (2, 3) has a separating gap (43) extending in the circumferential direction, which divides the rotary component (2, 3) into at least two component sections (53) so that a magnetic short circuit between the rotary component (2, 3) and the at least one magnet unit (27) is prevented. 11. Device (100) according to the two preceding claims, wherein the at least one connection unit (8) together with the at least one magnet unit (27) provides a conductive connection between the component sections (53). 12. Device (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the at least one permanent magnet (37) is arranged on a component section (53) and wherein the connecting unit (8) extends from the permanent magnet (37) to the opposite component section (53) or wherein the magnet unit (27) has at least two permanent magnets (37) and wherein at least one permanent magnet (37) is arranged on each of the component sections (53), and wherein the permanent magnets (37) are conductively connected by the connecting unit (8). 13. Device (100) according to claim 11, wherein the connection unit (8) comprises at least two holding elements (38) and wherein at least one holding element (38) is arranged on a component section (53) and wherein the holding elements (38) are conductively connected by the at least one permanent magnet (37). 14. Device (100) according to claim 9, wherein the at least one connecting unit (8) has at least one fastening section (18) for conductive fastening to the rotary component (2, 3) and wherein the fastening section (18) is planar or wherein the fastening section (18) corresponds to a curvature of the rotary component (2, 3). 15. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one permanent magnet (37) is polarized in the axial direction or wherein the at least one permanent magnet (37) is polarized in the radial direction. 16. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one permanent magnet (37) has a cuboid-shaped basic geometry or wherein the at least one permanent magnet (37) is curved and preferably has the basic geometry of a ring segment. 17. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one magnet unit (27) alone or together with the at least one connection unit (8) provides a magnetic circuit section (87) which is part of a magnetic circuit (47) of the magnet device (17), and wherein the magnetic circuit (47) extends from the magnetic circuit section (87) through the rotary component (2, 3) and the active gap (4) with the medium (5) located therein and the opposite rotary component (2, 3) and again through the active gap (4) with the medium (5) located therein and back to the magnetic circuit section (87). 18. Device (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the magnetic circuit section (87) has a bypass to a magnetic circuit (16) of the transmission device (1) or wherein the magnetic circuit section (87) is directly integrated into a magnetic circuit (16) of the transmission device (1). 19. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the magnet device (17) comprises a plurality of magnet units (27) and wherein the magnet units (17) are spaced apart over the circumference. 20. Device (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the magnet units (27) are distributed symmetrically over the circumference. 21. Device (100) according to one of the two preceding claims, wherein the magnet units (27) together extend over an angle of at least 75° and preferably at least 80° of the circumference. 22. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein only one magnet unit (27) is provided and wherein the magnet unit (27) extends over an angle of at least 75° and preferably at least 80° of the circumference. 23. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the magnetic device (17) is assigned at least one electrical counter-field generating device (57) and wherein the counter-field generating device (57) is suitable and designed to weaken or eliminate the at least one magnetic field emanating from the magnetic device (17). 24. Device (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the opposing field generating device (57) is provided by the coil device (6) of the transmission device (1) and/or wherein the opposing field generating device (57) comprises at least one additional electrical coil device (67) and wherein the additional coil device (67) preferably comprises at least one additional coil (77) for each magnet unit (27) provided. 25. Device (100) according to the preceding claim, wherein the at least one magnetic field emanating from the magnet device (17) can be used to amplify the magnetic field emanating from the coil device (6) of the transmission device (1). 26. Device (100) according to one of the preceding claims, designed as a steering specification device (300) for specifying a steering command according to the steer-by-wire concept, wherein one of the rotary components (2, 3) is coupled to a steering unit (301) so that the mobility of the steering unit (301) can be specifically braked.

Description

Device with a magnetorheological transmission device The invention relates to a device with at least one magnetorheological transmission device with at least two rotary components that can move relative to one another. At least one active gap is formed between the rotary components, in which a magnetorheological medium is arranged. A controllable magnetic field can be generated in the active gap by means of at least one electrical coil device in order to influence the rotatability of the rotary components during normal operation. Such devices can be designed as operating devices and can be used to set operating states. The magnetorheological transmission device can then be used to set different moments or forces, stops and grids for the movements. This means that haptic (tangible) feedback can be transmitted during operation, which supports the user and allows very specific settings and reduces the overall complexity of operation. Such operating devices are increasingly being used in a wide variety of devices, for example in motor vehicles or medical technology or even in smart devices, for example to select menus or carry out precise controls. Such devices are also increasingly being used to operate computers and games consoles. The device should therefore be very compact and at the same time reliably designed and have as low a base moment as possible. For example, such devices can also be used as a steering control device to specify a steering movement according to the steer-by-wire concept. High demands are placed on such steering control devices. For example, precise steering feedback and steering behavior that is free of play or jerks, particularly around the center position, as well as overall very smooth, harmonious steering behavior are required. If the steering unit is generally (mechanically) stiff (= high basic torque), haptically perfect controllability in normal operation (active resetting...) is no longer possible. Only very smooth-running steering units (preferably < 0.3 Nm, for example < 0.1 Nm, basic torque of all steer-by-wire steering components) enable haptically sophisticated and harmonious steering movements. In addition, the steering device must be able to provide high torques or counteract the manual steering movement (the torque then corresponds to a braking torque). This is, for example, to represent end stops, for supporting yourself when getting out or as a counter torque for very fast twists or steering movements. A key feature of such devices is safety in the event of a malfunction, for example if the magnetic field of the coil device is lost. Then no more torque is opposed to the rotary movement or steering movement and no more resistance is felt during operation. In order to defuse such sometimes very dangerous situations, an additional brake can be used to slow down the rotation of the rotating components in the event of a malfunction. However, the additional brake often leads to an increase in costs, installation space and weight, as well as an increase in the base torque. It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a device with an improved additional brake which particularly advantageously meets the previously discussed requirements. This object is achieved by a device having the features of claim 1. Preferred developments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims. Further advantages and features of the present invention emerge from the general description and the description of the embodiments. The device according to the invention comprises at least one magnetorheological transmission device. The transmission device comprises at least two rotary components that can be moved relative to one another. In particular, the rotary components are arranged coaxially to one another at least in sections. At least one active gap (running in the circumferential direction) is formed between the rotary components. At least one magnetorheological medium is arranged in the active gap. The device comprises at least one electrical coil device for generating a controllable magnetic field in the active gap. In particular, the generation of the magnetic field serves to influence the rotatability of the rotary components during normal operation (and preferably to brake or release it). The device comprises at least one additional brake for braking the rotatability of the rotary components when the magnetic field of the coil device is lost and in particular in the event of a malfunction. The additional brake comprises at least one magnetic device that extends at least partially in the circumferential direction of the active gap and/or the rotary components. In particular, the magnetic device extends at least partially along the circumference of the active gap and/or the rotary components. The magnetic device comprises at least one magnet unit. The magnet unit comprises at least one permanent magnet which extends only over a part of a circumference (in particular the