Patent ID: 7900531

Claim:
A drive device for moving a movable component relative to a stationary component, the drive device comprising: a first fastening element connectable to one of the stationary component and the movable component; a housing tube axially movable relative to said first fastening element and disposed on an end of said drive device opposite said first fastening element, said housing tube having a second fastening element connectable to the other of the stationary component and the movable component; a spindle drive actuatable to move said housing tube axially relative to said first fastening element and including a threaded spindle and a nut; and a rotary drive and a clutch which is open when said rotary drive is not actuated and which closes when said rotary drive is actuated, said rotary drive being drivably connected to said spindle drive through said clutch, said clutch comprising a shifting element, a clutch element, and a clutch disk non-rotatably connected to said threaded spindle, said shifting element being rotatably drivably connected to said rotary drive, said shifting element having an axially oriented helical first ramp and said clutch element having an axially oriented helical second ramp in opposed contact with said first ramp, a spring element being disposed between said shifting element and said clutch element, said clutch element operatively arranged so that said clutch element is prevented from rotating until a predetermined torque is exceeded such that relative rotation of said shifting element and said clutch element causes relative axial displacement of said shifting element and said clutch element against a spring force of said spring element, said clutch element having a clutch area movable into non-rotatable engagement with said clutch disk in response to the relative axial displacement of said shifting element and said clutch element, wherein said shifting element is an axially stationary, rotatably supported, cup-shaped shifting sleeve, and said clutch element comprises a clutch sleeve at least partially surrounding said shifting sleeve.