Gear shifting device

Abstract

The invention discloses a gear shifting device. The gear shifting device is installed on the back of an automobile steering wheel through a gear shifting base. The gear shifting base comprises a gear shifting base lower cover and a gear shifting base upper cover; an electromagnetic induction gear shifting mechanism is arranged in a cavity between the gear shifting base lower cover and the gear shifting base upper cover. By the adoption of the technical scheme, the Hall sensor is ingeniously arranged in the gear switch through better circuit design, the stable and reliable gear shifting function is achieved through the Hall sensor, and the driving safety is improved; the gear shifting operation is more convenient; occupied space in the vehicle is reduced, and the cost of the whole vehicle is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of automobile control and driving systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a gear shifting device. Background Art

[0002] Currently, most of the shift mechanisms of cars on the market are arranged on the auxiliary instrument panel, which takes up a large space, has a great impact on the overall vehicle layout, is relatively inconvenient to operate, and has a high cost.

[0003] There are generally three ways to detect gear positions: mechanical switch type, gold finger type, photoelectric switch type, and magnetic field sensor type. Since traditional gear levers are mechanical and the gearbox is often located behind the engine in the middle of the vehicle, the floor gear shift can use a relatively simple mechanical structure to connect the gearbox. However, in actual use, the floor gear shift occupies a large amount of space at the auxiliary instrument, reducing the storage and activity space of the front seats, and since the floor gear shift is close to the rear passengers, it is easy for the rear passengers to accidentally touch it, affecting driving safety.

[0004] Defects of the prior art:

[0005] It takes up a large space; it is relatively inconvenient to operate; it poses a driving safety hazard; and it is costly.

[0006] The following search results were obtained by searching the existing public technical literature using keywords such as "gear shift; hand gear; magnet; Hall; sensor":

[0007] 1. Chinese patent document: "A gear rotation Hall induction hand-gear combination switch", patent (application) number: 202411903736.X; the technical solution recorded is:

[0008] “The gear rotation Hall induction hand-shift combination switch comprises: a body; a left turn wiper switch and a right hand-shift switch are respectively arranged on both sides of the body; a second self-tapping screw is arranged through the right hand-shift switch and one side of the body; the right hand-shift switch and the left hand-shift wiper switch are both detachably connected to the body through the second self-tapping screw”;

[0009] The technical effects recorded are:

[0010] "It has the advantages of precise gear shift sensing and reliable P gear function. In actual use, a gear transmission method is designed. By turning the gear handle, the main gear is driven to move, activating the Hall sensor within a circular range. First, through two gear transmissions, the gear RND signal is accurately output, ensuring 100% reliability of gear shifting. Due to the good meshing design of the plastic gears, the overall noise of the switch is reduced by about 3dB. The circular motion of the gear rotation allows the switch to have a very small structure inside."

[0011] 2. Chinese Patent Document: "A New Type of Steering Column Shifter", Patent (Application) No.: 202121682584.7; The technical solution recorded therein is as follows:

[0012] "The new type of steering column shifter includes a socket rod and a housing. The socket rod is integrally formed by injection molding. A fastener is inserted into the U-shaped cavity at the upper part of the socket rod. The sealing cavity at the lower part of the socket rod is arranged inside the housing. A circuit board is arranged inside the housing, and a Hall sensor is arranged on the circuit board. The magnet fixed on the side of the sealing cavity faces the circuit board, and the position of the Hall sensor corresponds to the position of the magnet. An insert is clamped inside the fastener. The insert includes a column rod. The bottom of the column rod abuts against a touch switch, and a telescopic spring for driving the insert to reset is installed at the top of the column rod."

[0013] The technical effects recorded therein are as follows:

[0014] "The manufacturing and maintenance costs are low. The signal triggering mechanism uses a magnet to trigger the Hall sensor, converting mechanical signals into electrical signals to control gear shifting, facilitating gear shifting operations, and being conducive to popularization and use."

[0015] However, neither the technical solution recorded in the above technical literature nor the related technical solutions of existing publicly applied technologies can solve the problems and defects in the existing technologies, namely, "occupying a relatively large space; relatively inconvenient to operate; having potential safety hazards during driving; and being relatively costly". Summary of the Invention

[0016] The present invention provides a shifting device, the purpose of which is to achieve a stable and reliable shifting function and improve the driving safety.

[0017] To achieve the above purpose, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0018] The shifting device of the present invention includes a shifting base and a control handle; the shifting device is installed on the back of the vehicle steering wheel through the shifting base; the shifting base includes a lower cover of the shifting base and an upper cover of the shifting base; an electromagnetic induction shifting mechanism is arranged in the cavity between the lower cover of the shifting base and the upper cover of the shifting base.

[0019] The electromagnetic induction shifting mechanism is provided with a shifting main control PCBA; Hall sensors are respectively arranged at multiple different positions on the shifting main control PCBA; a shift lever is also arranged in the cavity between the lower cover of the shifting base and the upper cover of the shifting base; a magnet is arranged on the shift lever; the shift lever is connected to the control handle through a rocker arm; the control handle drives the shift lever to swing through the rocker arm.

[0020] The number of the Hall sensors is four, and two are arranged at each of the two extreme positions where the shift lever swings.

[0021] A support limit block is provided at each of the two extreme positions of the swing of the shift lever; a shock pad is provided on the support limit block.

[0022] The magnet is fixed on the shift lever through a magnet cap.

[0023] An MCU is provided on the shift main control PCBA; the MCU is connected to the vehicle VCU through a signal circuit and a pin header; the MCU is connected to the Hall sensor through a signal circuit.

[0024] A button is provided at the end of the operating handle and is mounted on the operating handle through a button skeleton and a button guide post; the switch circuit of the button is connected to the MCU through an FPC flexible cable circuit.

[0025] A gear position label is provided on one side of the operating handle facing the driver's seat direction; the gear position label is provided with three gear position marks of "D", "R", and "N".

[0026] A roller is provided on the shift lever; the roller is mounted at the end of the shift lever through a roller seat.

[0027] Adopting the above technical solutions, the present invention realizes a stable and reliable shifting function through a better circuit design and a clever arrangement of Hall sensors inside the steering column switch, uses Hall sensors, improves the driving safety; its shifting operation is more convenient; it reduces the occupation of the interior space of the vehicle and reduces the overall vehicle cost. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028] The content shown in the drawings and the marks in the drawings are briefly described as follows:

[0029] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the external structure of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 is an exploded view of the parts list of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the shift base of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 is Figure 3 a top view schematic diagram of the structure shown;

[0033] Figure 5 is Figure 4 a schematic diagram of the position of the shift main control PCBA (partial A) and the Hall sensor in ;

[0034] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the gear position recognition and signal output principle of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 7 This is the driving circuit diagram for the R and D gear signal outputs of the present invention.

[0036] The markings in the figure are:

[0037] 1. Lower cover of the shift base, 2. Shift main control PCBA, 3. Shock pad, 4. Support and limit block, 5. FPC flexible cable, 6. Roller, 7. Magnet cap, 8. Roller seat, 9. Steering column spring, 10. Magnet, 11. Shift lever, 12. Gear label, 13. Silicone button cap, 14. Electroplated decorative ring, 15. Button skeleton, 16. Button guide post, 17. Upper cover of the shift base, 18. Self-tapping screw, 19. Control handle, 20. Rocker arm, 21. Pin header, 22. Hall sensor, 23. MCU. Specific embodiments

[0038] The following will further elaborate on the specific embodiments of the present invention in detail by describing the embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, so as to help those skilled in the art have a more complete, accurate, and in-depth understanding of the inventive concept and technical solution of the present invention.

[0039] The main structure and its components of the present invention:

[0040] As Figures 1 to 5 shown in the structure of the present invention, it is a shift device, including a shift base and a control handle 19.

[0041] In order to solve the problems existing in the prior art and overcome its deficiencies, and to achieve a stable and reliable shifting function; to achieve the invention purpose of improving the driving safety, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is:

[0042] As Figures 1 to 5 shown, the shift device of the present invention is installed on the back of the vehicle steering wheel through the shift base; the shift base includes a lower cover 1 of the shift base and an upper cover 17 of the shift base; an electromagnetic induction shifting mechanism is provided in the cavity between the lower cover 1 of the shift base and the upper cover 17 of the shift base.

[0043] The materials of the lower cover 1 of the shift base and the upper cover 17 of the shift base are PA6 + GF30. PA6 + GF30 is a nylon 6 glass fiber reinforced material. Among them, PA6 is polyamide 6, also known as nylon 6, which is a commonly used engineering plastic; while GF30 indicates that 30% of glass fiber is added to the material for reinforcement.

[0044] The present invention adopts a hand-held gear structure, that is, the gear shift device is arranged behind the steering wheel, eliminating the need for the floor gear form in the prior art that is arranged at the auxiliary instrument and occupies the cab space. The saved space can be used for storage or installation of functions such as wireless charging devices, and even the front seats can be upgraded to three people. The hand-held gear is located behind the steering wheel, away from non-drivers, to avoid accidental touch. While improving driving safety, it also allows the driver to keep his hands on the steering wheel when shifting gears, thereby improving driving safety.

[0045] Internal structure of the shift base of the shift device:

[0046] The electromagnetic induction shift mechanism is provided with a shift main control PCBA2; Hall sensors 22 are respectively provided at multiple different positions on the shift main control PCBA2; a shift lever 11 is also provided in the cavity between the shift base lower cover 1 and the shift base upper cover 17; a magnet 10 is provided on the shift lever 11; the shift lever 11 is connected to the operating handle 19 through a rocker arm 20; the operating handle 19 drives the shift lever 11 to swing through the rocker arm 20.

[0047] The main material of the shift main control PCBA2 is FR-4 heat-resistant insulating material. The magnet 10 is a neodymium iron boron magnet. The material of the shift lever 11 is PA6 GF30 and PA6 GF50.

[0048] The present invention uses a magnet 10 and a Hall sensor 22 of magnetic field induction to detect the shift position of the shift lever 11; the magnet 10 is fixed on the shift lever 11; the shift main control PCBA2 is installed at a position matching the magnet 10; the shift main control PCBA2 is designed with a Hall sensor 22 and an MCU23;

[0049] A plurality of self-tapping screws 18 are used to fix the shift base lower cover 1, the shift base upper cover 17 and the shift main control PCBA 2; the material of the self-tapping screws 18 is carbon structural steel wire SWRCH22A.

[0050] The implementation principle of the shifting device of the hand-held gear type of the present invention is:

[0051] When the shift lever 11 moves into the sensing area of ​​the Hall sensor 22 , the Hall sensor 22 will send a corresponding signal; when the MCU 23 detects that the shift lever 11 reaches the corresponding position, the MCU 23 will send a corresponding gear position signal.

[0052] By turning the operating handle 19, the shift lever 11 is driven to swing to different positions; when the Hall sensor 22 in the gear shift detects the position change of the shift lever 11, a corresponding gear position signal is issued to achieve gear shifting.

[0053] The shift operation of the above technical solution is relatively more convenient, reduces the occupied space, and lowers the overall vehicle cost. The key lies in the interior of the steering column-mounted shift switch, where through an optimized circuit design and a clever arrangement of Hall sensors, the function of using Hall sensors to achieve shifting is realized.

[0054] As Figure 5 shown:

[0055] The number of the described Hall sensors 22 is four, and two are arranged at each of the two extreme positions where the shift lever 11 swings.

[0056] Among Figure 5 ( Figure 4 also the same), the two upper Hall sensors 22 are H3 and H4; the two lower Hall sensors 22 are H1 and H2; refer to Figure 4 the gear position label 12.

[0057] Specific description of the operation of the present invention is as Figure 3 , Figure 4 and Figure 5 shown:

[0058] 1. Toggle the control handle 19 to drive the magnet 10 to move. The Hall sensor 22 senses the magnetic field change and emits a corresponding position signal;

[0059] 2. When H3 and H4 sense the magnet 10 simultaneously, a D - gear signal is output; when H1 and H2 sense the magnet 10 simultaneously, an R - gear signal is output;

[0060] One support limit block 4 is arranged at each of the two extreme positions where the shift lever 11 swings; on the support limit block 4, a shock - absorbing pad 3 is arranged.

[0061] The material of the shock - absorbing pad 3 is CR, and CR is a kind of chloroprene rubber material; the material of the support limit block 4 is

[0062] The described magnet 10 is fixed on the shift lever 11 through a magnet cap 7. The material of the magnet cap 7 is PA66 GF15. PA66 GF15 is a kind of reinforced plastic material, mainly composed of polyhexamethylene adipamide (PA66) and 15% glass fiber (GF). PA66 GF15 has characteristics such as high strength, heat resistance, and chemical corrosion resistance.

[0063] On the shift main control PCBA2, an MCU23 is arranged; the MCU23 is connected to the vehicle VCU through a signal circuit and a pin header 21; the MCU23 is connected to the Hall sensor 22 through a signal circuit.

[0064] At the end of the control handle 19, a button is provided and is mounted on the control handle 19 through a button skeleton 15 and a button guide post 16; the switch circuit of the button is connected to the MCU 23 through an FPC flexible cable 5 circuit.

[0065] The material of the button skeleton 15 is PA6 GF30; the material of the button guide post 16 is PC+ABS, PC, and is subjected to matte electroplating; the FPC flexible cable 5 uses ice blue backlight.

[0066] On one side of the control handle 19 facing the driver's seat direction, a gear position label 12 is provided; the gear position label 12 is provided with three gear position marks of "D", "R", and "N".

[0067] At the end of the control handle 19 and the button skeleton 15, a plated decorative ring 14 is provided, and the material of the plated decorative ring 14 is PC+ABS and is subjected to high-brightness electroplating.

[0068] The material of the gear position label 12 is PC. PC is a kind of polymer compound, which is the abbreviation of Polycarbonate, and is a colorless transparent thermoplastic material. PC material has extremely high impact strength and good transparency, and the light transmittance can exceed 90%.

[0069] On the shift lever 11, a roller 6 is provided; the roller 6 is mounted at the end of the shift lever 11 through a roller seat 8.

[0070] The material of the roller 6 is stainless steel; the material of the roller seat 8 is PCM.

[0071] R, D gear position signal output principle, drive mode:

[0072] 1. For the gear position identification and signal output principle, see Figure 6 ;

[0073] 2. When the Hall sensor 22 detects the magnet 10, the output level of the Hall sensor 22 will change from high level to low level. For example, when the shift lever 11 is shifted to the D gear, the levels of H3 and H4 in the Hall sensor 22 become low levels, and the MCU 23 will send out a code of "1", "1", "0" at the output end according to the coding rule. The truth table is shown in Table 1 below;

[0074] Table 1

[0075] Position SW1 SW2 SW3 R 1 0 1 Middle position 0 1 1 D 1 1 0

[0076] 3. The VCU will judge the current gear position according to the code output by the shift-by-wire switch and execute the gear shifting function.

[0077] R, D gear position signal output drive circuit, as Figure 7As shown in the figure:

[0078] 1. The R and D gear signal output driving circuit is composed of a triode and a MOS transistor, providing two-level isolation for the MCU and the peripheral circuit to improve the anti-interference ability;

[0079] 2. Working process: When the MCU detects the Hall signal, the MCU outputs a low level, the triode turns off, the voltage at V1 is high, the MOS transistor conducts, pulling down the pull-up resistor at the VCU. At this time, the VCU detects a low level.

[0080] The present invention has been described exemplarily in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the specific implementation of the present invention is not limited by the above-mentioned manner. As long as various non-substantive improvements are made by adopting the method concept and technical solution of the present invention, or the concept and technical solution of the present invention are directly applied to other occasions without improvement, they are all within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A shifting device, comprising a shifting base and a control handle (19), characterized in that: The shift device is installed on the back of the steering wheel of the car through the shift base; the shift base comprises a shift base lower cover (1) and a shift base upper cover (17); an electromagnetic induction shift mechanism is arranged in the cavity between the shift base lower cover (1) and the shift base upper cover (17).

2. The shifting device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electromagnetic induction shift mechanism is provided with a shift main control PCBA (2); Hall sensors (22) are respectively provided at multiple different positions on the shift main control PCBA (2); a shift lever (11) is also provided in a cavity between a shift base lower cover (1) and a shift base upper cover (17); a magnet (10) is provided on the shift lever (11); the shift lever (11) is connected to an operating handle (19) via a rocker arm (20); and the operating handle (19) drives the shift lever (11) to swing via the rocker arm (20).

3. The shifting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The number of the Hall sensors (22) is four, two of which are respectively arranged at the two extreme positions of the swing of the shift lever (11).

4. The shifting device according to claim 3, characterized in that: A support limit block (4) is provided at each of the two swing limit positions of the shift lever (11); and a shock absorbing pad (3) is provided on the support limit block (4).

5. The shifting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The magnet (10) is fixed on the shift lever (11) via a magnet cover cap (7).

6. The shifting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: An MCU (23) is arranged on the shift main control PCBA (2); the MCU (23) is connected to a vehicle VCU via a signal circuit and a pin header (21); and the MCU (23) is connected to a Hall sensor (22) via a signal circuit.

7. The shifting device according to claim 6, characterized in that: A button is provided at the end of the operating handle (19) and is mounted on the operating handle (19) via a button frame (15) and a button guide column (16); the switch circuit of the button is connected to the MCU (23) via an FPC flexible flat cable (5) circuit.

8. The shifting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A gear position sign (12) is arranged on the side of the operating handle (19) facing the driver's seat; and three gear position marks "D", "R" and "N" are arranged on the gear position sign (12).

9. The shifting device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A roller (6) is arranged on the shift lever (11); the roller (6) is installed on the end of the shift lever (11) via a roller seat (8).

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