The invention relates to an actuation device for opening and/or closing a vehicle door as well as a vehicle comprising such actuation device. Such an actuation device is configured for example to open and/or close a vehicle door, such as a trunk.

The known actuation device comprises typically a first fixed arm connected to the body of the vehicle and a second arm, typically called "crank", moveable relatively to the first arm. The second arm is generally mounted on a planet carrier which allows a rotational movement. The end of the second arm is connected to a curve element which is connected to a door, such as a trunk, and make this latter rotate the trunk in an opening and/or closing position.

A nut is disposed at an end of the planet carrier.

The efficiency of the fixation may be reduced by the vibrations undergone by the vehicle which tends to unscrew the nut.

If the nut is not sufficiently fixed on the second arm of the planet carrier, a play appears which leads to unpleasant noise and to less efficiency.

Furthermore, in case of defects, it could be advantageous to disassemble the actuation device in order to check the parts of the actuation device. An object of the invention is to propose an actuation device in which the crank fixation is reversible and also secured against self-opening based on a reusable system.

To this end the invention relates to an actuation device for opening and/or closing a vehicle door, the device comprising:

- driving means extending along a longitudinal axis and comprising a first driving portion and a connecting external threaded portion,

- an arm projecting from the driving axis, the arm comprising a driven portion configured to cooperate with the driving portion so as to connect the arm to the driving means in order for the arm to be rotated by the driving means according to the longitudinal axis,

- fixing means comprising an internal threaded portion intended for cooperating with the connecting external threaded portion of the driving means, the said fixing means being configured to fix the arm to the driving means, wherein the fixing means comprise at least one securing projection intended to cooperate with a securing recess of the driving means to prevent the rotation of the fixing in an unscrewing direction.

Advantageously, the actuation device of the invention comprises a reversible and reusable system to secure the nut against self-opening based on fixing means with at least one a securing projection configured to cooperate with a corresponding recess of the driving means for securing the fixing means against self-opening.

Furthermore, the securing projection may be actuated such that the fixing means may be disassembled.

According to further embodiments which can be considered alone or in combination:

- the securing projection is made in a resilient material; and/or

- the securing recess comprises a stop wall sensibly perpendicular to the unscrewing movement of the securing projection, the said stop wall being intended to receive a wall of the securing projection sensibly perpendicular to the unscrewing movement when the said securing projection is received in the securing recess; and/or

- the securing projection comprises an inclined wall intended to slide on a sliding wall of the securing recess; and/or

- the sliding wall intended to receive the inclined wall of the securing projection is a ramp; and/or

- the ramp is opposite to the stop wall; and/or

- the fixing means comprise at least one protuberance intended to be pressed against a connecting wall of the driving means; and/or

- the protuberances are disposed regularly around the internal threaded portion; and/or

- the fixing means comprise eight protuberances, preferably disposed at an angle of about 45°; and/or

- the protuberances are made in a resilient material; and/or

- the at least one protuberance is a clip; and/or

- the at least one securing projection is a clip; and/or

- the securing projection and the at least one protuberance are sensibly identical; and/or

- the securing projection and/or the at least one protuberance are disposed each in a cavity made in the fixing means; and/or

- the fixing means are a nut and the driving means are a planet carrier. The invention further relates to a vehicle comprising a door able to be moveable in an open or closed position by an actuation device of invention.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of non- limitative embodiments, with reference to the attached drawings in which:

- figure 1 is a space view of the actuation device of the invention in a disassembled state;

- figure 2 is a cross sectional view of a driving means of the actuation device of figure i;

- figure 3 is a plane view of fixing means of the actuation device of figure 1 ;

- figure 3 A is a cross sectional view according to AA of figure 3;

- figure 3B is a cross sectional view according to BB of figure 3;

- figure 4 is a space view of the actuation device of figure 1 in an assembled state;

- figure 5 is a close view of the fixing means mounted on the driving means of the actuation device of figure 4;

- figure 6 is a close view of a securing recess of the driving means of the actuation device of the invention;

- figure 7 is a close view of a securing projection cooperating with the securing projection of figure 6;

- figure 8 is a close view of operating securing projection and protuberance in the actuation device of the invention.

Referring to figure 1, the invention concerns an actuation device for opening and/or closing a vehicle door, such as a trunk.

The actuation device comprises driving means 4 configured to drive the vehicle door so as to open and/or close the door. The driving means 4 extend along a longitudinal axis 25. The driving means 4 comprise a first driving portion 41 and a connecting external threaded portion 2.

The actuation device further comprises an arm 5 projecting from the driving axis 25. The arm 5 comprises a driven portion 51 configured to cooperate with the driving portion 41 so as to connect the arm 5 to the driving means 4 in order for the arm 5 to be rotated by the driving means 4 according to the longitudinal axis 25.

The driven portion 51 and the driving portion 41 preferably comprise corresponding interlocking structures configured to cooperate together when the arm 5 is connected to the driving means 4. For example, driven portion 51 is configured to receive the driving portion 41 in this regard as shown in figure 1.

The actuation device further comprises fixing means 1 comprising an internal threaded portion 13. The internal threaded portion is configured to cooperate with the connecting external threaded portion 2 of the driving means 4. The fixing means 1 are configured to fix the arm 5 to the driving means 4. In particular, the arm is placed on the driving portion 41 and the fixing means 1 are then placed on the connecting external threaded portion 2, such that the arm 5 cannot be moved towards the external threaded portion 2.

The internal threaded portion 13 is configured to extend around the axis 25 when the fixing means 1 are mounted on the driving means 4.

According to one aspect of the invention, the fixing means 1 comprise at least one securing projection 12 intended to cooperate with a securing recess 22 of the driving means 4 to prevent the rotation of the fixing in an unscrewing direction 18. In particular, the securing recess 22 is on the external threaded portion 2. Advantageously, the securing projection 12 cooperating with the securing recess 22 blocks the fixing means 1 such that the arm 5 is maintained fixed on the driving means 4. In addition, the securing projection 12 may be pushed out of the securing recess 22, in particular by means of a tool, such as a screwdriver, so as to unscrew the fixing means 1. Thus, the activation device of the invention may be easily disassembled to check or change parts if needed.

According to an embodiment, the securing projection 12 is made in a resilient material. In particular, a resilient securing projection 12 can enter the securing recess 22 during the screwing of the fixing means 1 when the securing projection 12 faces the securing recess 22.

The securing recess 22 preferably comprises a stop wall 27 sensibly perpendicular to the unscrewing movement of the securing projection 12. The stop wall 27 is intended to receive a wall 17 of the securing projection 12 sensibly perpendicular to the unscrewing movement when the said securing projection 12 is received in the securing recess 22. The cooperation between the stop wall and the wall 17 blocks the unscrewing of the fixing means 1. The securing projection 12 preferably comprises an inclined wall 16 intended to slide on a sliding wall 26 of the securing recess 22. The inclines wall 16 and the sliding wall 26 are oblique with respect to the screwing direction 19. Advantageously, the inclined wall 16 sliding on the sliding wall 26 enable to continue the screwing movements even if the securing projection 12 is in the securing recess 22.

The sliding wall 26 intended to receive the inclined wall 16 of the securing projection 12 is preferably a ramp. The ramp is preferably opposite to the stop wall 27.

According to a preferred embodiment, the fixing means 1 comprise at least one protuberance 12a intended to be pressed against a connecting wall 2a of the driving means 4. In particular, the connecting wall 2a is part of the external threaded portion 2.

The protuberances 12a are preferably disposed regularly around the internal threaded portion 13. Advantageously, the frictional forces are thus regularly spread on the external treaded portion 2 of the driving means 4, for an effective retaining of the fixing means 1 on the driving means 4.

The fixing means 1 preferably comprise eight protuberances 12a. The eight protuberances are preferably disposed at an angle of about 45° around the internal threaded portion. Eight protuberances 12a enable a good maintenance of the fixing means 1 and also and leave enough space to have an effective internal threaded portion 13, where the internal threaded portion 13 is interrupted by the protuberances 12a.

More generally, the fixing means could have a given number of protuberances disposed at an angle corresponding to 360° divided by said given number. The protuberances 12a are preferably made in a resilient material. A resilient material enables satisfactory friction forces. One or more pads may be used as protuberance(s) 12a.

The at least one protuberance 12a is preferably a clip. According to an embodiment, all the protuberances 12a are clips. Advantageously, a clip is easy to manufacture in a resilient material and then insert in a corresponding cavity of the fixing means 1. Similarly, the at least one securing projection 12 is preferably a clip. According to an embodiment, all the securing projections 12 are clips.

In a preferred embodiment, the at least one securing projection 12 and the at least one protuberance 12a are sensibly identical.

Advantageously, identical securing projection 12 and protuberances 12a are manufactured and placed on the fixing means 1 at the same time. This aspect quickens the manufacturing process. In addition, in this embodiment, when screwing the fixing means 1, the clip facing the securing recess 22 functions as a securing projection 12, and the clip facing the connecting wall 22 functions as a protuberance 12a. This aspect involves both a satisfactory blocking of the fixing means 1 and frictional forces. According to an embodiment, the fixing means 1 comprises eight identical clips 12, 12a and the driving means 4 comprise one securing recess 22.

In an alternative embodiment, the fixing means comprises seven protuberances 12a, and one securing projection 12 and the driving means 4 comprise one securing recess 22.

According to a preferred embodiment, the securing projection 12 and/or the at least one protuberance 12a are disposed each in a cavity made in the fixing means 1. A cavity enables to make the fixing means 1 in a different material than a resilient projection 12 and/or protuberance 12a and then insert the latter in the cavity.

According to an embodiment, the fixing means 1 are a nut and the driving means 4 are a planet carrier. The invention enables to avoid self-opening of the nut out of the planet carrier and also the resulting noises due to collisions of parts of the planet carrier and/or the arm 5 and nut.

The planet carrier may comprise engagement teeth 42 configured to drive a sensor gear when the planet carrier is connected to a planet gear system.

In the mounting of the actuation device, a spacer disc 6 may be mounted on the planet carrier and the assembly may be inserted in a through-hole of a cover 7 with friction bearings from a first side of the cover such that a part of the driving portion 41 and the external threaded portion 2 comes out of a second side of the cover 7. The arm 5 may then be placed on the driving portion 41 at said second side and fixed with the nut placed on the external threaded portion 2. The invention has been described above with the aid of embodiments without limitation of the general inventive concept as defined in the claims.

Many modifications and variations will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art upon making reference to the foregoing illustrative embodiments, which are given by way of example only and which are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, that being determined solely by the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that different features are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these features cannot be advantageously used. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.