Shifting device, transmission and method for assembling transmission

Abstract

The invention relates to a shift device (100) for a vehicle transmission, the shift device comprising a lever configured to be connected to an actuator (131) to move the lever along a longitudinal axis (A) of the lever, and a set of shift forks comprising a first shift fork (121) and a second shift fork (122), the first shift fork and the second shift fork are fixed to the lever so as to be actuated in unison. The lever comprises a first portion (111) and a second portion (112) configured to be mechanically connected to each other via at least one connection joint, wherein the first shift fork is fixed to the first portion of the lever and the second shift fork is fixed to the second portion of the lever. The invention also relates to a transmission comprising such a shifting device and a method of assembling the transmission.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a shifting device for a vehicle transmission, a transmission, a method for assembling a transmission and a vehicle.

[0002] The invention is applicable to heavy vehicles such as trucks, buses and construction equipment.Although the invention will be described with respect to a truck, the invention is not limited to this particular vehicle but may also be used in other vehicles such as passenger cars. Background Art

[0003] Conventional automatic or semi-automatic transmissions for motor vehicles are usually provided with a plurality of actuators for gear shifting, wherein each actuator is configured to act on a rod carrying a shift fork. The shift fork is connected to a gear engagement sleeve which engages or disengages a gear depending on its axial position. To shift gears, one or more actuators are actuated to act on the rod, thereby moving the shift fork and sleeve in the axial direction to select a desired gear ratio or neutral for torque transmission.

[0004] There are also transmissions in which several shift forks are mounted on the same rod, wherein the shift forks may be, for example, slidably mounted on the rod and selectively fixed to the rod depending on the gear selection. In this way, a single rod may be used to move several shift forks. An example of such a transmission is disclosed in WO2005 / 088172.

[0005] However, in some cases it may be advantageous to use a single lever to actuate the two shift forks in unison to act on two different gear engagement sleeves. The two sleeves may, for example, be arranged on opposite sides of the same gear and serve to drivingly connect the gear to the first component or the second component, depending on the desired transmission ratio. For a lightweight, compact but robust transmission design, it is generally desirable to provide a sleeve that can be moved into an annular recess of the gear, which is arranged below the gear teeth of the gear, i.e. radially inside the gear teeth of the gear. In this way, the gear tooth face width can be made relatively large without adding too much weight to the gear.

[0006] However, assembly of such compact transmissions, which include two shift forks fixedly mounted to a single rod and configured to move in unison, presents problems when the shift forks need to be able to move into and out of the relative annular recesses of the gears. Assembly of the transmission is usually performed using pre-assembled components, such as a pre-assembled kit of rods and shift forks, wherein the rods are connected to an actuator, such as a pneumatic or electric actuator. The rods, shift forks and actuators may be assembled with a transmission control unit and mounted on an opening in the transmission housing, in which the other components of the transmission are disposed. The installation is performed so that the shift forks engage their corresponding sleeves as the transmission control unit is lowered onto the transmission housing.

[0007] When two shift forks that need to be able to enter annular recesses on opposite sides of a gear are fixed to the same rod, it becomes difficult to engage these shift forks with their respective sleeves during an installation process such as described above because the sleeves will be at least partially hidden in the annular recesses. Summary of the invention

[0008] One object of the present invention is to provide a gear engagement device that facilitates, in at least some aspects, the assembly of a transmission having more than one shift fork to be actuated in unison using a single actuator. Another object is to provide such a transmission that is easier to assemble than known such transmissions, at least in some aspects. Yet another object is to provide a method for assembling such a transmission that is advantageous in at least some aspects relative to known assembly methods. Specifically, an object is to facilitate the installation of a transmission in which two shift forks that are actuated in unison require access to relatively positioned annular recesses of one or more gears.

[0009] According to a first aspect of the invention, at least one of the objects is achieved by a gear shifting device according to claim 1 .

[0010] Therefore, a shifting device for a vehicle transmission is provided. The shifting device comprises: - a rod configured to be connected to an actuator to move the rod along a longitudinal axis of the rod, and - a set of shift forks comprising a first shift fork and a second shift fork, the first shift fork and the second shift fork being fixed to the rod so as to be actuated in unison.

[0011] The lever comprises a first portion and a second portion configured to be mechanically connected to each other via at least one connecting joint, wherein a first shift fork is fixed to the first portion of the lever and a second shift fork is fixed to the second portion of the lever.

[0012] By providing a rod comprising at least two mechanically connectable parts, the shift forks being arranged on different parts, it is possible to significantly facilitate the assembly of a transmission having two shift forks that are actuated in unison. When used in the transmission, the first part and the second part of the rod are mechanically connected via a connecting joint. The respective parts can be preassembled with their respective shift forks and connected when the transmission is assembled. This is particularly advantageous for assembly in a transmission in which two shift forks need to be able to reach under one or more gear tooth portions (such as the same gear tooth portion) from different directions alternately to provide different gear ratios. In this case, the construction of the proposed shift device allows one of the shift forks to first engage the associated exposed gear engagement sleeve, and the part of the rod that carries the engaged shift fork is subsequently axially shifted so that the gear engagement sleeve moves to a hidden position under the gear tooth portion. Thereafter, while the first and second parts of the rod are connected, the other shift fork can engage with the other gear engagement sleeve in an exposed position.

[0013] The shifter can be used with pneumatic or electro-pneumatic actuators as well as electric actuators.

[0014] Optionally, the first part of the rod comprises a first interlocking member and the second part of the rod comprises a second interlocking member, wherein the first interlocking member and the second interlocking member are configured to prevent relative movement of the first part and the second part along the longitudinal axis when interlocked. The interlocking members here constitute a connecting joint. The first interlocking member and the second interlocking member can preferably be convex and concave interlocking members, respectively. Therefore, the first part and the second part of the rod can move in unison along the longitudinal direction.

[0015] Optionally, the interlocking members are configured to interlock by moving one of the interlocking members into the other interlocking member in a transverse direction, such as by aligning the interlocking members and moving the first part and the second part towards each other in a transverse direction. The transverse direction here refers to a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. Since the first part of the rod and the first shift fork and the second part of the rod and the second shift fork can be preassembled separately and connected in the last step of assembling the transmission, this facilitates the assembly of the transmission including the shifting device.

[0016] For example, the first portion of the rod may be configured to be connected to an actuator, and the interlocking members may be configured to interlock by moving the first interlocking member in a lateral direction into or onto the second interlocking member.

[0017] Optionally, the interlocking member is configured to prevent relative rotation of the first part and the second part, such as relative rotation around the longitudinal axis and / or relative rotation in a plane perpendicular to the above-mentioned transverse direction. Therefore, the interlocking member has an interlocking surface that prevents relative rotation. This means a safe and stable interconnection. Preferably, the interlocking member can only allow relative movement in one direction (i.e. the above-mentioned transverse direction).

[0018] Optionally, the first shift fork includes a first rod connecting portion and at least one first engagement member for engaging with the first gear engagement sleeve, and the second shift fork includes a second rod connecting portion and at least one second engagement member for engaging with the second gear engagement sleeve, wherein the first shift fork and the second shift fork are bent so that when the first and second rod portions are connected, a first axial distance between the first rod connecting portion and the second rod connecting portion is different from a second axial distance between the at least one first engagement member and the at least one second engagement member. For example, the first axial distance may be greater than the second axial distance.

[0019] Optionally, the rod further comprises a third portion, and the set of shift forks further comprises a third shift fork fixed to the third portion of the rod, wherein the third portion is mechanically connected to the first portion and the second portion. In this configuration, the three shift forks can be actuated in unison. Two connecting joints can be provided to connect the three portions together. The connecting joints can be identical or of the same type, or different types of connecting joints can be used. All three portions of the rod are mechanically connected to be able to move in unison along the longitudinal axis of the rod.

[0020] According to a second aspect of the invention, at least one of the objects is achieved by a transmission according to claim 7. The transmission is configured to transmit torque, such as between a first shaft and a second shaft of the transmission, via a set of selectively engageable gears. The transmission comprises a shifting device according to the first aspect, and the transmission further comprises: - a transmission housing comprising a first housing part and a second housing part, the second housing part being fixed to the first housing part, - a transmission control unit fixed to the first housing part and an actuator controllable by the transmission control unit to move the rod along its longitudinal axis, the actuator being rigidly connected to the first part of the rod, The second housing portion includes a recess in which an end portion of the second portion of the rod is slidably received.

[0021] Thus, when the rod is actuated using the actuator, the rod may slide within the recess. The recess is configured to prevent movement of the rod in a non-axial direction. A bearing such as a sliding bearing or a bushing may be included within the recess.

[0022] The transmission may of course include a number of other components, such as gears, shafts and sleeves.

[0023] Optionally, the first housing part comprises a through hole or a bracket through which the second part of the rod extends and is slidably received therein. Thus, the second part of the rod is held in position by the recess in the second housing part and the through hole or bracket of the first housing part. The second shift fork may be arranged on a second side of the through hole or bracket, i.e. on the same side of the through hole or bracket as the recess receiving the end portion of the second part of the rod. Thus, the second shift fork may be located in the second housing part.

[0024] Optionally, the transmission further comprises a gear or gear set rotatably arranged on the shaft, the gear or gear set being selectively engageable to transmit torque by means of a set of shift forks, each gear comprising at least one annular recess centered on the shaft, wherein each shift fork is configured to be movable by a shift rod into a position in which it extends into a corresponding annular recess in the at least one annular recess. Of course, the transmission may comprise a plurality of further gears, such as gears arranged to be drivingly connected, such as meshing, with the above-mentioned gear or gear set for transmitting torque.

[0025] Optionally, the gear or gear set comprises at least a first annular recess and a second annular recess opening in opposite directions, the first shift fork being movable to a position in which it extends into the first annular recess and the second shift fork being movable to a position in which it extends into the second annular recess. The first shift fork and the second shift fork are movable by means of a rod.

[0026] Optionally, the first annular recess and the second annular recess are provided on the same gear.

[0027] Optionally, the first annular recess and the second annular recess are arranged on different gears, such as the first annular recess is arranged on the first gear and the second annular recess is arranged on the second gear adjacent to the first gear. In this case, the first annular recess and the second annular recess may face away from each other, and the shift fork is bent so that when the first and second parts of the rod are connected, the first axial distance between the first rod connecting part and the second rod connecting part is greater than the second axial distance between the at least one first engagement member and the at least one second engagement member. Thus, the shift fork is bent "inwardly".

[0028] However, the first annular recess and the second annular recess may instead face each other, in which case the shift fork is bent such that when the first and second rod parts are connected, a first axial distance between the first rod connecting part and the second rod connecting part is smaller than a second axial distance between the at least one first engagement member and the at least one second engagement member. Thus, the shift fork is bent "outwardly".

[0029] Optionally, the transmission further comprises a set of gear engaging sleeves, each gear engaging sleeve being movable by a corresponding shift fork in the shift forks.Each gear engaging sleeve can be moved into and out of a position in one of the annular recesses by its associated shift fork.

[0030] According to a third aspect, at least one of the above objects is achieved by a method according to claim 13. Therefore, there is provided a method for assembling a transmission according to the second aspect, the method comprising: - pre-assembling the first part of the rod and the first shift fork with the transmission control unit and the actuator, - Pre-assemble the second part of the lever and the second shift fork, - mounting the second part of the rod and the second shift fork preassembled therewith to the first housing part, wherein the second part of the rod extends through a through hole or a bracket in the first housing part, and the interlocking members of the second shift fork and the second part are arranged on opposite sides of the through hole or bracket, - assembling the second housing part with the first housing part so that an end portion of the second part of the rod is slidably received in the recess, said end portion being arranged on the same side of the through hole or the bracket as the second shift fork, - Mounting the transmission control unit and the actuator and the first part of the rod and the first shift fork preassembled therewith onto the first housing part, into which the second part of the rod extends, thereby connecting the first and second parts of the rod via the first connecting joint.

[0031] After assembly, the first end portion of the second portion of the rod is slidably received in the recess of the second housing portion. The second end portion of the second portion of the rod including the interlocking member is disposed inside the first housing portion, and the second shift fork is disposed outside the through hole or bracket, such as outside the first housing portion.

[0032] Optionally, mounting the transmission control unit to the first housing part comprises moving one of the transmission control unit and the first housing part towards the other of the transmission control unit and the first housing part in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rod. This corresponds to the above-mentioned transverse direction.

[0033] According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a vehicle comprising a transmission according to the second aspect.

[0034] Further advantages and advantageous features of the invention are disclosed in the following description and in the dependent claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] Embodiments of the invention cited as examples will be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0036] In the attached picture:

[0037] Figure 1 A vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown,

[0038] Figure 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of a shifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention,

[0039] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Another perspective view of the shifting device shown in,

[0040] Figure 4 yes Figure 2 A side view of the shifting device shown in FIG.

[0041] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of various parts of a transmission according to an embodiment of the present invention, and

[0042] Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating a method according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] The accompanying drawings show diagrammatic exemplary embodiments of the present invention and are therefore not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that the embodiments shown and described are exemplary and the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. It should also be noted that some details in the accompanying drawings may be exaggerated in order to better describe and illustrate the present invention. Throughout the specification, unless otherwise indicated, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0044] Figure 1 A vehicle 1 in the form of a truck to which a gear shift arrangement according to the invention may be applied is schematically shown. The vehicle 1 comprises a transmission system having an internal combustion engine 2 connected to a transmission 200 for propelling the vehicle 1. The transmission 200 is arranged to transfer torque from the engine 2 to a drive shaft 3 which connects the transmission 200 to a driven shaft 4 driving a ground engaging member in the form of wheels 5 of the vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 may have more than one driven shaft, such as two or more driven shafts. As an alternative or in addition to the internal combustion engine 2, the vehicle may comprise one or more electric machines for providing power to the vehicle.

[0045] Figures 2 to 3 FIG. 1 shows a shifting device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. For example, the shifting device 100 can be used in Figure 1The transmission 200 shown in FIG. 1 includes a rod 110 extending along a longitudinal axis A. The rod 110 is configured to be connected to an actuator 131, such as a pneumatic or electric actuator, for moving the rod 110 forward and backward along the longitudinal axis A. The rod 110 includes a first portion 111 and a second portion 112 that can be mechanically connected via a connecting joint 113. The shifting device 100 also includes a set of shift forks 121, 122, including a first shift fork 121 and a second shift fork 122. The first shift fork 121 is fixed to the first portion 111 of the rod 110, and the second shift fork 122 is fixed to the second portion 112 of the rod 110. When the first portion 111 and the second portion 112 are connected via the connecting joint 113, the first shift fork 121 and the second shift fork 122 can be actuated in unison along the longitudinal direction A, i.e., moved simultaneously, by means of the actuator 131 acting on the rod 111.

[0046] The first part 111 of the rod 110 is here fixed to the actuator 131 at a first end portion 111a of the first part 111. The second end portion 111b of the first part 111 includes a first interlocking member 114, which is configured to be received in a second interlocking member 115 provided on the first end portion 112a of the second part 112. The first interlocking member 114 and the second interlocking member 115 are configured to prevent relative movement of the first part 111 and the second part 112 along the longitudinal axis A when interlocked. Interlocking is achieved by moving the first interlocking member 114 into the second interlocking member 115 in a transverse direction B perpendicular to the longitudinal direction A. Figure 2 The shifting device 100 is shown before the first part 111 and the second part 112 are connected. Figure 3 The shifting device 100 is shown after the first part 111 and the second part 112 are connected.

[0047] In the illustrated embodiment, the second interlocking member 115 is illustrated as a female interlocking member and the first interlocking member 114 is illustrated as a male interlocking member, although other configurations are certainly possible so long as the portions 111, 112 are prevented from relative axial movement along the axis A. In the illustrated embodiment, the interlocking members 114, 115 are also formed with interlocking surfaces that prevent relative rotation of the portions 111, 112 about the longitudinal axis A.

[0048] The first shift fork 121 and the second shift fork 122 are configured to engage the first gear engagement sleeve 151 and the second gear engagement sleeve 152, respectively. To this end, the first shift fork 121 includes three first engagement members 123 and the second shift fork includes three second engagement members 127 for engaging with the annular grooves 153, 158 of the corresponding sleeves 151, 152. The three first engagement members 123 of the first shift fork 121 are located on the first lower fork portion 125 of the first shift fork 121, and the three second engagement members 127 of the second shift fork 122 are located on the second lower fork portion 128 of the second shift fork 122. Although three engagement members 123, 127 per shift fork 121, 122 are shown herein, a different number of engagement members may be provided, such as two engagement members per shift fork.

[0049] The first shift fork 121 also has a first rod connecting portion 124 attached to the first portion 111 of the rod 110, near the first interlocking member 114. The first shift fork 121 is further curved so that when the first gear is shifted in a direction such as Figure 4 When viewed in the side view shown, the first engagement member 123 is axially offset relative to the first rod connection portion 124. The second shift fork 122 has a second rod connection portion 126 attached to the second portion 112 of the rod 110. The first shift fork 121 and the second shift fork 122 are bent so that when the first portion 111 and the second portion 112 of the connecting rod 110 are connected, the first axial distance x1 between the first rod connection portion 124 and the second rod connection portion 126 is different from the second axial distance x2 between the first engagement member 123 and the second engagement member 127. In the embodiment shown, the first axial distance x1 is greater than the second axial distance x2, although the opposite may be true in other configurations.

[0050] When the first shift fork 121 is connected to the first gear engagement sleeve 151, the first gear engagement sleeve 151 is here axially further away from the actuator 131 than the first rod connection upper portion 124. The second shift fork 122 is bent in the opposite direction so that when it is engaged with the second gear engagement sleeve 152, and when the first and second portions 111, 112 of the rod 110 are connected, the second gear engagement sleeve 152 is axially closer to the actuator 131 than the rod connection upper portion 126 of the second shift fork 122. The shift forks 121, 122 are thus bent toward each other.

[0051] See now Figure 4 and Figure 5, shows the shifting device 100 together with a gear 240 of the transmission 200. The gear 240 is rotatably arranged on a shaft (not shown) extending along an axis C parallel to the longitudinal axis A. The gear 240 is selectively engageable to transmit torque by means of a set of shift forks 121, 122 acting on sleeves 151, 152. The gear 240 includes: an annular gear tooth portion 243, which includes a plurality of external gear teeth 246; and an annular inner flange portion 244, which is arranged radially inside the gear tooth portion 243 and is rigidly connected to the gear tooth portion 243 by an annular connecting portion 245. Two annular recesses 241, 242 facing opposite directions along the longitudinal axis A are formed between the inner flange portion 244 and the gear tooth portion 243. The first annular recess 241 is arranged on a first side of the gear 240, facing the first shift fork 121. The second annular recess 242 is provided on a second side of the gear 240 , facing the second shift fork 122 .

[0052] The first shift fork 121 and the first gear engagement sleeve 151 can be moved by the rod 110 to a position where the first shift fork 121 extends into the first annular recess 241. The second shift fork 222 and the second gear engagement sleeve 152 can be moved by the rod 110 to a position where the second shift fork 222 extends into the second annular recess 242. The first shift fork 121 and the second shift fork 122 can move in unison, so that when the first shift fork 121 and the first gear engagement sleeve 151 move into the first annular recess 241, the second shift fork 122 and the first gear engagement sleeve 152 move out of the second annular recess 242, and vice versa. Figure 5 , the first gear engagement sleeve 151 rotationally connects the gear 240 to the adjacent gear 250, while the second gear engagement sleeve 152 is completely located in the second annular recess 242. By moving the rod 110 to the left by one step, a neutral position can be achieved, in which none of the gear engagement sleeves 151, 152 engages a gear. By moving the rod 110 to the left by two steps, the second gear engagement sleeve 152 rotationally connects the gear 240 to the shaft via a member fixed to the shaft, while the first gear engagement sleeve 151 is completely located in the first annular recess 241.

[0053] Figure 5is a cross-sectional view showing various parts of a transmission 200 (such as the transmission 200 described above). The transmission 200 is configured to transmit torque between an input shaft and an output shaft (not shown) via a set of selectively engageable gears, such as between an input shaft and an output shaft (not shown). The transmission 200 includes a transmission housing 220, which includes a first housing portion 221 and a second housing portion 222, the second housing portion 222 being fixed to the first housing portion 221. The transmission control unit 130 is fixed to the first housing portion 221. The actuator 131 can be controlled by the transmission control unit 130 for moving the rod 110 in an axial direction. The actuator 131 is rigidly connected to the first portion 111 of the rod 110. The second housing portion 222 includes a recess 223, in which the end portion 112b of the second portion 112 of the rod 110 is slidably received. The first housing portion 221 also includes a through hole 224, which may alternatively be a bracket fixed to the first housing portion 221, through which the second portion 112 of the rod 110 extends and is slidably received. The second shift fork 122 is positioned on a second side of the through hole 224, on the same side of the through hole 224 as the recess 223.

[0054] Figure 6 A method for assembling a transmission 200 such as Figure 5 A method of a transmission 200 is shown.

[0055] In a first step S1 , the first portion 111 of the rod 110 and the first shift fork 121 are preassembled with the transmission control unit 130 and the actuator 131 .

[0056] In a second step S2 , the second portion 112 of the rod 110 and the second shift fork 122 are preassembled.

[0057] The first step and the second step may be performed in any suitable order. The preassembled parts may be delivered from other locations, so the first step and the second step may not necessarily be performed together with the subsequent steps.

[0058] In the third step S3, the second portion 112 of the rod 110 and the second shift fork 122 preassembled therewith are mounted to the first housing portion 221, wherein the second portion 112 of the rod 110 extends through the through hole 224 or the bracket. The second shift fork 122 and the second interlocking member 115 are arranged on opposite sides of the through hole 224 or the bracket after the installation. At least the second interlocking member 115 is located in the first housing portion 221. Other components of the transmission 200, such as shafts, gears, etc., can be installed in the first housing portion 221 in conjunction with the third step S3 or before the third step. For example, the gear 240 and the gear engagement sleeves 151, 152 arranged on the shaft can be installed in the first housing portion 221, and the second shift fork 122 can be engaged with the second gear engagement sleeve 152 at a position where it is located outside the second annular recess 242.

[0059] In a fourth step S4 , the second housing portion 222 is assembled with the first housing portion 221 such that the second end portion 112 b of the second portion 112 of the rod 110 is slidably received in the recess 223 .

[0060] In the fifth step S5, the transmission control unit 130 and the actuator 131 and the first part 111 of the rod 110 and the first shift fork 121 preassembled therewith are mounted on the first housing part 221, and the second part 112 of the rod 110 extends into the first housing part. Thereby, the first part 111 and the second part 112 of the rod 110 are connected via the first connecting joint 113. In order to successfully perform this step, the second part 112 of the rod 110 is first moved in the axial direction A so that the second shift fork 122 and the second gear engagement sleeve 152 enter the second annular recess 242. The first gear engagement sleeve 151 is positioned outside the first annular recess 241, which allows the first shift fork 121 to engage with the first gear engagement sleeve 151 when it moves in the transverse direction B. Therefore, while the first part 111 of the rod 110 is connected to the second part 112 of the rod via the connecting joint 113, the first shift fork 121 engages with the first gear engagement sleeve 151.

[0061] In a non-illustrated embodiment of the invention, the rod is divided into more than two parts, such as into three parts. Each part carries at least one shift fork. A connecting joint is provided between each two parts. For three parts, two connecting joints are provided.

[0062] In the embodiment shown, the shift fork is configured to engage with a gear engagement sleeve acting on the same gear. However, the shift fork can also be configured to move a gear engagement sleeve acting on different gears arranged on the same shaft or even on different shafts. For example, if two input shafts are provided, two shift forks can be provided that are configured to act simultaneously on gears on different input shafts.

[0063] It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and shown in the drawings; on the contrary, those skilled in the art will recognize that many changes and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A shifting device (100) for a transmission (200) of a vehicle (1), the shifting device comprising: - a rod (110) configured to be connected to an actuator (131) in order to move the rod along its longitudinal axis (A), - a set of shift forks (121, 122), the set of shift forks comprising a first shift fork (121) and a second shift fork (122), the first shift fork and the second shift fork being fixed to the rod so as to be actuated in unison, Features The lever (110) comprises a first portion (111) and a second portion (112) configured to be mechanically connected to each other via at least one connecting joint (113), wherein the first shift fork (121) is fixed to the first portion (111) of the lever (110) and the second shift fork (122) is fixed to the second portion (112) of the lever (110).

2. The shifting device according to claim 1, wherein the first portion (111) of the rod includes a first interlocking member (114), and the second portion (112) of the rod includes a second interlocking member (115), wherein the first interlocking member and the second interlocking member are configured to prevent the first portion (111) and the second portion (112) from moving relative to each other along the longitudinal axis when interlocked.

3. The gear shifting device according to claim 2, wherein the interlocking members (114, 115) are configured to interlock by moving one of the interlocking members into or onto the other interlocking member in a lateral direction.

4. The gear shifting device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the interlocking member (114, 115) is configured to prevent relative rotation of the first part (111) and the second part (112).

5. A shifting device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first shift fork (121) includes a first rod connecting portion (124) and at least one first engaging member (123) for engaging with a first gear engaging sleeve (151), and wherein the second shift fork (122) includes a second rod connecting portion (126) and at least one second engaging member (127) for engaging with a second gear engaging sleeve (152), wherein the first shift fork (121) and the second shift fork (122) are bent so that when the first portion (111) and the second portion (112) of the rod (110) are connected, a first axial distance (x1) between the first rod connecting portion (124) and the second rod connecting portion (126) is different from a second axial distance (x2) between the at least one first engaging member (123) and the at least one second engaging member (127).

6. The gear shifting device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the rod (110) further comprises a third portion, and wherein the set of shift forks further comprises a third shift fork fixed to the third portion of the rod, wherein the third portion is mechanically connected to the first portion and the second portion.

7. A transmission (200) configured to transmit torque via a set of selectively engageable gears, the transmission (200) comprising a shifting device (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, the transmission (200) further comprising: - a transmission housing (220), comprising a first housing part (221) and a second housing part (222), the second housing part being fixed to the first housing part, - a transmission control unit (130) fixed to the first housing part and an actuator (131) controllable by the transmission control unit (130) to move the rod (110) along its longitudinal axis (A), the actuator (131) being rigidly connected to the first part (111) of the rod (110), The second housing portion (222) includes a recess (223) in which the end portion (112b) of the second portion (112) of the rod (110) is slidably received.

8. The transmission of claim 7, wherein the first housing portion (221) includes a through hole (224) or a bracket through which the second portion (112) of the rod (110) extends and is slidably received therein.

9. A transmission according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising a gear (240) or a gear set rotatably arranged on the shaft, the gear or the gear set being selectively engageable to transmit torque with the aid of the set of shift forks (121, 122), each gear (240) comprising at least one annular recess (241, 242) centered on the shaft, wherein each shift fork (121, 122) is configured to be movable by the rod (110) to a position in which it extends into a corresponding annular recess in the at least one annular recess (241, 242).

10. The transmission according to claim 9, wherein the gear (240) or the gear set comprises at least a first annular recess (241) and a second annular recess (242) opening in opposite directions, the first shift fork (121) being movable to a position in which it extends into the first annular recess (241), and the second shift fork (222) being movable to a position in which it extends into the second annular recess (242).

11. The transmission according to claim 10, wherein the first annular recess (241) and the second annular recess (242) are provided on the same gear (240), or wherein the first annular recess and the second annular recess are provided on different gears.

12. The transmission according to any one of claims 7 to 11, further comprising a set of gear engagement sleeves (151, 152), each gear engagement sleeve (151, 152) being movable by a respective one of the shift forks (121, 122).

13. A method for assembling a transmission (200) according to any one of claims 7 to 12, the method comprising: - pre-assembling (S1) the first portion (111) of the rod (110) and the first shift fork (121) with the transmission control unit (130) and the actuator (131), - pre-assembling (S2) the second portion (112) of the rod (110) and the second shift fork (122), - mounting (S3) the second portion (112) of the rod (110) and the second shift fork (122) preassembled therewith to the first housing part (221), wherein the second portion (112) of the rod (110) extends through a through hole (224) or a bracket of the first housing part (221), and the interlocking members (115) of the second shift fork (122) and the second portion (112) are arranged on opposite sides of the through hole (224) or the bracket, - assembling (S4) the second housing portion (222) with the first housing portion (221) so that the end portion (112b) of the second portion (112) of the rod (110) is slidably received in the recess (223), - mounting (S5) the transmission control unit (130) and the actuator (131) and the first part (111) of the rod (110) and the first shift fork (121) preassembled therewith onto the first housing part (221), the second part (112) of the rod (110) extending into the first housing part, thereby connecting the first part (111) and the second part (112) of the rod (110) via the first connecting joint (113).

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein mounting the transmission control unit (130) to the first housing portion (221) comprises moving one of the transmission control unit (130) and the first housing portion (221) toward the other of the transmission control unit (130) and the first housing portion (221) in a direction (B) perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (A) of the rod (110).

15. A vehicle (1) comprising a transmission (200) according to any one of claims 7 to 12.

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