Drive device for adjusting a vehicle assembly

A drive device configured to adjust a vehicle assembly, the drive device comprising:

• an electromotive adjustment drive configured to adjust the vehicle assembly;
• and
• a control device configured to operate in an automatic mode, in which the electromotive adjustment drive assembly moves at a predetermined rotational speed to adjust the vehicle assembly, and a servo mode, in which the electromotive adjustment drive provides a support force to the vehicle assembly during manual adjustment of the vehicle assembly,
• wherein the control device is configured to:
• determine a first setpoint current value based on a speed of the adjustment drive;
• determine a second setpoint current value based on a load acting on the vehicle assembly;
• regulate a current of the adjustment drive based on the first setpoint current value in response to the adjustment drive being in the automatic mode, and regulate the current of the adjustment drive based on the second setpoint current value in response to the adjustment drive being in the servo mode;
• and
• set the first setpoint current value based on a speed setpoint value and the actual rotational speed of the adjustment drive;
• wherein the control device is further configured to determine a setpoint torque to be output by the adjustment drive based on a load acting on the vehicle assembly and a target force value to be applied by the user, wherein the load acting on the vehicle assembly is determined by comparing a static hinge moment acting about a hinge axis of the vehicle assembly resulting from gravity and a dynamic hinge moment acting about the hinge axis of the vehicle assembly resulting from an inertia of the vehicle door and by computing the setpoint torque using, as input values, the static hinge moment, the dynamic hinge moment and a user moment resulting from the target force value, wherein the control device is configured to determine the second setpoint current value based on the setpoint torque, and
• regulate the current of the adjustment drive based on the supplied setpoint current value and a resulting actual motor current.

A method of operating a drive device configured to adjust a vehicle assembly, the method comprising:

• commanding, by a controller, an adjustment drive to operate in an automatic mode, in which adjustment drive moves at a predetermined rotational speed to adjust a position of the vehicle assembly, or in a servo mode, in which the adjustment drive provides a supporting force to the vehicle assembly as a user manually adjusts the position of the vehicle assembly;
• determining, a first setpoint current value based on a rotational speed of the adjustment drive;
• determining, a second setpoint current value based on a load acting on the vehicle assembly;
• regulating a current of the adjustment drive based on the first setpoint current value, in response to the adjustment drive operating in the automatic mode;
• and
• regulating the current of the adjustment drive based on the second setpoint current value, in response to the adjustment drive operating in the servo mode;
• wherein the determining the first setpoint current value includes:
• setting the first setpoint current value based on a speed setpoint value and the actual rotational speed of the adjustment drive;
• wherein the determining the second setpoint current value includes:
• determining a setpoint torque to be output by the adjustment drive based on a load acting on the vehicle assembly and a target force value to be applied by the user, wherein the load acting on the vehicle assembly is determined by comparing a static hinge moment acting about a hinge axis of the vehicle assembly resulting from gravity and a dynamic hinge moment acting about the hinge axis of the vehicle assembly resulting from an inertia of the vehicle door and by computing the setpoint torque using, as input values, the static hinge moment, the dynamic hinge moment and a user moment resulting from the target force value, wherein the control device is configured to determine the second setpoint current value based on the setpoint torque,
• wherein the regulating includes:
• regulating the current of the adjustment drive based on the supplied setpoint current value and a resulting actual motor current.