Parking mechanism with emergency parking and unlocking functions

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of passenger car manufacturing, in particular to a parking mechanism with emergency parking and unlocking functions. The transmission assembly is in transmission connection with output shafts of the main drive actuator and the auxiliary drive actuator at the same time, and power linkage is achieved. The cam execution assembly is in transmission connection with the transmission assembly and matched with the pawl assembly, and the pawl assembly is driven to complete the parking-in or parking-out action relative to the ratchet wheel by applying or removing pressure to the pawl assembly. The state detection assembly is composed of a magnet assembly integrated on the pawl assembly and a paired position sensor, and the matching state of the pawl assembly and the ratchet wheel is accurately monitored. Thus, on one hand, the phenomenon that the mechanism function is completely lost due to failure of a single actuator is avoided, and the emergency response capacity of the parking mechanism under the extreme working condition is greatly improved; and on the other hand, due to the state detection assembly, the state misjudgment risk caused by mechanical transmission deviation of the main drive actuator and the auxiliary drive actuator is eliminated, and then the reliability of parking control is ensured.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of passenger vehicle manufacturing technology, and in particular to a parking mechanism that combines emergency parking and unlocking functions. Background Technology

[0002] In recent years, automotive gearbox parking mechanisms have gradually upgraded from traditional mechanical parking to electronic parking. Electronic parking mechanisms have become the mainstream configuration due to their advantages such as ease of operation and precise control. Their core requirement is to stably lock and unlock the vehicle under both normal driving and sudden failure conditions, so as to avoid safety risks such as vehicle rolling.

[0003] Existing electronic parking mechanisms have significant limitations and cannot meet the safety redundancy requirements of high-end models and autonomous vehicles: First, traditional single-actuator electronic parking mechanisms are equipped with only one power supply and one electronic actuator, and rely solely on a single position sensor matched to the actuator itself. When the actuator fails or the power supply is interrupted, the parking mechanism directly loses its function, failing to cope with sudden failure scenarios and exhibiting weak safety assurance capabilities. Second, while some improved solutions add a mechanical chock as an emergency measure on the basis of a single actuator, the mechanical chock can only achieve a single emergency parking or unlocking function, failing to cover both emergency needs simultaneously. Furthermore, the chock transmission response time is long, the device is concealed, users need to consult the manual to operate it, and a large pulling force is required during operation, resulting in low emergency efficiency and severely impacting the user experience. Third, existing mechanisms generally lack an independent monitoring mechanism for the engagement state of the pawl and ratchet, relying solely on the position feedback of the actuator itself. When a transmission deviation occurs between the actuator and the mechanical transmission structure, it is impossible to accurately determine whether parking is in place, easily leading to the risk of misjudgment.

[0004] In summary, technical personnel are urgently needed to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention The purpose of this invention is to provide a parking mechanism that combines emergency parking and unlocking functions, aiming to solve the problems of weak emergency response capability, easy failure of function after failure, inability of mechanism with mechanical lock to simultaneously realize emergency parking and unlocking, slow response and inconvenient operation, and lack of effective monitoring of the engagement state of pawl and ratchet in the prior art.

[0005] This invention relates to a parking mechanism that combines emergency parking and unlocking functions, including a main drive actuator, an auxiliary drive actuator, a transmission assembly, a cam actuator assembly, a pawl assembly, a ratchet, and a status detection assembly; The transmission assembly is used to realize the power linkage between the main drive actuator and the auxiliary drive actuator, and it is also connected to the main output shaft of the main drive actuator and the auxiliary output shaft of the auxiliary drive actuator. The cam actuator is connected to the transmission assembly and cooperates with the pawl assembly. By applying or removing pressure on the pawl assembly, the pawl assembly is driven to engage or disengage relative to the ratchet. The status detection component includes a magnet assembly integrated into the pawl assembly, and a position sensor paired with the magnet assembly to collect position information of the magnet assembly in order to monitor the engagement state of the pawl assembly and the ratchet.

[0006] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, the parking mechanism with emergency parking and unlocking functions also includes a main power supply unit; the main power supply unit is electrically connected to both the main drive actuator and the auxiliary drive actuator, and is used to provide the main drive actuator and the auxiliary drive actuator with normal operating power.

[0007] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, the parking mechanism with emergency parking and unlocking functions also includes a backup power supply unit; the backup power supply unit is only electrically connected to the auxiliary drive actuator and is used to provide emergency working power to the auxiliary drive actuator when the main power supply unit fails.

[0008] In a certain application scenario, the main power supply unit supplies power to the main drive actuator and sends parking / unlock commands. The main drive actuator drives the transmission component, which in turn drives the cam actuator in sync. The auxiliary drive actuator is passively dragged in the opposite direction under the linkage of the transmission component. The cam actuator applies or removes pressure on the pawl assembly, causing the pawl assembly to engage or disengage from the ratchet. At the same time, the status detection component collects the position information of the magnet assembly and provides feedback to confirm the completion of the action.

[0009] In another application scenario, when the main drive actuator fails, the main power supply unit supplies power to the auxiliary drive actuator and sends a parking / unlock command. The auxiliary drive actuator drives the transmission component, which in turn drives the cam actuator component. The main drive actuator is passively dragged in the reverse direction under the linkage of the transmission component. The cam actuator applies or removes pressure on the pawl component, causing the pawl component to engage or disengage from the ratchet. At the same time, the status detection component collects the position information of the magnet component and provides feedback to confirm the completion of the action.

[0010] In another application scenario, when the main power supply unit fails, the backup power supply unit supplies power to the auxiliary drive actuator. After the auxiliary drive actuator is powered on, it drives the transmission component, which in turn drives the cam actuator component. The main drive actuator is passively dragged in the opposite direction under the linkage of the transmission component. The cam actuator applies or removes pressure on the pawl component, causing the pawl component to engage or disengage from the ratchet. At the same time, the status detection component collects the position information of the magnet component and feeds it back to confirm that the action is completed.

[0011] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, the main drive actuator is provided with a first position detection component for real-time acquisition of its motion position information; the auxiliary drive actuator is provided with a second position detection component for real-time acquisition of its motion position information; when the status detection component fails, the first position detection component feeds back the motion gear information of the main drive actuator or / and the second position detection component feeds back the motion gear information of the auxiliary drive actuator.

[0012] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, the transmission component is a gear pair, including a first gear and a second gear that mesh with each other; the first gear is coaxially and fixedly connected to the main output shaft, the second gear is coaxially and fixedly connected to the auxiliary output shaft, and the transmission ratio is set to 1:1.

[0013] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, the cam actuation component includes a cam and a camshaft; the camshaft is driven by a transmission component and serves as the mounting base for the cam; the outer periphery of the cam is provided with a pressure-applying inclined surface and a pressure-relief surface for contacting the pawl assembly, and the pressure on the pawl assembly is applied and removed through the rotational motion of the cam.

[0014] As a further improvement to the technical solution disclosed in this invention, the pawl assembly includes a pawl body, a base shaft, and a reset torsion spring; the base shaft extends laterally through the pawl body, and the pawl body reciprocates around the base shaft when subjected to external force; the pawl body is provided with engaging teeth that are adapted to the ratchet tooth groove and a force-receiving end that contacts the outer periphery of the cam actuator assembly; one end of the reset torsion spring is connected to the side of the force-receiving end of the pawl body to assist in its reset motion.

[0015] In practical applications, the parking mechanism with both emergency parking and unlocking functions disclosed in this invention can achieve at least the following beneficial technical effects, specifically: 1) The main drive actuator and the auxiliary drive actuator are linked by the transmission assembly to form a redundant execution structure, which avoids the phenomenon that the failure of a single actuator will lead to the complete loss of the mechanism function in the traditional design. This greatly improves the emergency response capability of the parking mechanism under extreme working conditions and provides dual execution guarantee for the parking function. 2) By integrating the magnet assembly into the pawl assembly and pairing it with a position sensor, the position information of the pawl and ratchet engagement can be directly collected, rather than relying on the actuator's own feedback. This allows for real-time and accurate judgment of whether parking / unlocking is in place, eliminating the risk of misjudgment caused by mechanical transmission deviations between the main drive actuator and the auxiliary drive actuator, and improving the reliability of parking control. 3) By forming a collaborative working system through transmission components and cam actuators, emergency parking and unlocking functions can be achieved without additional complex mechanical structures. This simplifies the layout of the parking mechanism and reduces the integration difficulty with different vehicle gearboxes and electric drive assemblies, especially meeting the needs of electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles for efficient parking systems. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the parking mechanism that combines emergency parking and unlocking functions disclosed in this invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the relative positional relationship between the transmission component and the cam actuation component in the parking mechanism that combines emergency parking and unlocking functions disclosed in this invention.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the relative positional relationship between the pawl assembly and the ratchet in the parking mechanism that combines emergency parking and unlocking functions disclosed in this invention, from one perspective.

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the relative positional relationship between the pawl assembly and the ratchet in the parking mechanism that combines emergency parking and unlocking functions as disclosed in this invention, from another perspective.

[0021] 1-Main drive actuator; 11-Main output shaft; 2-Auxiliary drive actuator; 21-Auxiliary output shaft; 3-Transmission assembly; 31-First gear; 32-Second gear; 4-Cam actuator assembly; 41-Cam; 411-Pressure application ramp; 412-Pressure relief plane; 42-Camshaft; 5-Pawl assembly; 51-Pawl body; 511-Engine tooth; 512-Force-receiving roller; 52-Base shaft; 53-Reset torsion spring; 6-Ratchet; 61-Ratchet tooth; 7-Status detection assembly; 71-Magnet assembly; 72-Position sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments. Figure 1A three-dimensional schematic diagram of the parking mechanism with emergency parking and unlocking functions disclosed in this invention is shown. It can be seen that it is mainly composed of a main drive actuator 1, an auxiliary drive actuator 2, a transmission assembly 3, a cam actuator 4, a pawl assembly 5, a ratchet 6, a status detection assembly 7, a main power supply unit, and a backup power supply unit (not shown in the figure). These components work together to achieve parking locking and unlocking under normal and emergency conditions, forming a complete parking function system. like Figure 2 As shown, the transmission component 3 preferably adopts a gear pair structure, specifically including a first gear 31 and a second gear 32 that mesh with each other. The first gear 31 is coaxially and fixedly connected to the main output shaft 11 of the main drive actuator 1, and the second gear 32 is coaxially and fixedly connected to the auxiliary output shaft 21 of the auxiliary drive actuator 2, and the transmission ratio between the two is strictly set to 1:1. In this way, the synchronous operation of the main drive actuator 1 and the auxiliary drive actuator 2 during power transmission is ensured, which not only avoids power interference caused by transmission deviation, but also allows the other to smoothly drive the entire transmission system through meshing transmission in the event of failure of either one. This forms a redundant execution design, which avoids the problem of complete loss of mechanism function due to the failure of a single actuator in traditional systems, greatly improves the emergency response capability of the parking mechanism under extreme working conditions, and provides dual execution guarantee for the parking function.

[0023] It is worth noting that the main drive actuator 1 has a first position detection component inside, and the auxiliary drive actuator 2 has a second position detection component inside (neither shown in the figure), which are used to collect their respective motion position information in real time. When the status detection component 7 fails, it can serve as a backup status feedback basis.

[0024] Similarly, Figure 2 As shown, the cam actuation assembly 4 mainly consists of a cam 41 and a camshaft 42. The camshaft 42 is fixedly connected to the first gear 31 and is driven to rotate by it, while also serving as the mounting base for the cam 41. The outer periphery of the cam 41 is precision machined to form a pressure-applying inclined surface 411 and a pressure-relief surface 412 for contacting the pawl assembly 5. When the cam 41 rotates, pressure is applied to or removed from the pawl assembly 5 by the alternating switching of the pressure-applying inclined surface 411 and the pressure-relief surface 412, directly controlling the action state of the pawl assembly 5. In practical applications, by leveraging the collaborative working system of the transmission assembly 3 and the cam actuation assembly 4, emergency parking and unlocking functions can be achieved without additional complex mechanical structures. This simplifies the layout of the parking mechanism and reduces the integration difficulty with different vehicle gearboxes and electric drive assemblies, making it particularly suitable for the high-efficiency parking system requirements of electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles. like Figure 3 , Figure 4As shown, the pawl assembly 5 and the ratchet 6 form a locking engagement, which is the core actuator for realizing the parking function. The pawl assembly 5 includes a pawl body 51, a base shaft 52, and a return torsion spring 53. The base shaft 52 extends laterally through the middle of the pawl body 51, and the pawl body 51 can perform reciprocating rotation around the base shaft 52 when subjected to external force. The pawl body 51 is provided with engaging teeth 511 that are adapted to the ratchet teeth 61 of the ratchet 6, and is also equipped with a force-receiving roller 512 that contacts the outer periphery of the cam 41. One end of the return torsion spring 53 is connected to the force-receiving side of the pawl body 51, providing continuous assistance for the return movement of the pawl body 51. When the pressure-applying inclined surface 411 contacts the force-receiving roller 512, it pushes the pawl body 51 to rotate around the base shaft 52, and the engaging teeth 511 are engaged in the ratchet 61 groove to achieve parking lock; when the cam 41 continues to rotate, causing the pressure relief surface 412 to gradually contact the force-receiving roller 512 (replacing the original contact position of the pressure-applying inclined surface 411), the pressure disappears, and the pawl body 51 rotates under the action of the reset torsion spring 53, and the engaging teeth 511 disengage from the ratchet 61 to complete the unlocking action.

[0025] The status detection component 7 serves as a precise monitoring unit for the parking status, such as... Figure 1 As shown, the system includes a magnet assembly 71 integrated into the pawl assembly 5, and a position sensor 72 paired with the magnet assembly 71. The magnet assembly 71 is embedded in the non-force-bearing end of the pawl body 51 and moves synchronously with the pawl body 51. The position sensor 72 is fixed above the pawl assembly 5 and is used to collect the position information of the magnet assembly 71 in real time. In practical applications, by directly detecting the movement state of the pawl assembly 5, the engagement status of the engaging teeth 511 and the ratchet 61 can be accurately determined, rather than simply relying on the feedback from the main drive actuator 1 and the auxiliary drive actuator 2. This allows for real-time and accurate determination of whether parking / unlocking is in place, completely eliminating the risk of transmission deviation where "the actuator is in place but the pawl is not locked," thereby significantly improving the reliability of parking control. It should also be noted that the main power supply unit is electrically connected to both the main drive actuator 1 and the auxiliary drive actuator 2, providing them with normal operating power to meet the parking needs during daily driving. The backup power supply unit, however, is only electrically connected to the auxiliary drive actuator 2 and is specifically designed to provide emergency power to the auxiliary drive actuator 2 in the event of a failure of the main power supply unit. This technical solution creates power redundancy, further improving the reliability of the parking mechanism under extreme conditions and prioritizing the emergency drive source to prevent the vehicle from rolling due to power failure.

[0026] In actual operation, the above-mentioned parking mechanism can adapt to various working conditions, specifically: In a certain application scenario, the main power supply unit supplies power to the main drive actuator 1 and sends parking / unlock commands. The main output shaft 11 drives the first gear 31 to rotate, and through gear meshing, drives the second gear 32 to rotate synchronously, thereby driving the cam 41 to move. At this time, the auxiliary drive actuator 2 is passively dragged under the linkage of the auxiliary output shaft 21. The cam 41 cooperates with the force roller 512 through the pressure inclined surface 411 or the pressure relief surface 412 to drive the engagement tooth 511 to engage or disengage the ratchet 61. At the same time, the position sensor 72 collects the position information of the magnet assembly 71 and provides real-time feedback to confirm the completion of the action. In another application scenario, when the main drive actuator 1 fails, the main power supply unit automatically switches to power the auxiliary drive actuator 2 and sends a command. The auxiliary output shaft 21 drives the second gear 32 to rotate, driving the first gear 31 and the main output shaft 11 to move synchronously (the main drive actuator 1 is passively dragged). The subsequent action flow and status detection feedback of the cam 41 and the pawl assembly 5 are consistent with the above scenario, ensuring that the parking / unlocking function is uninterrupted. In another application scenario, when the main power supply unit fails due to power outage, short circuit, or other reasons, the backup power supply unit immediately triggers the activation mechanism, providing emergency power only to the auxiliary drive actuator 2. After being powered on, the auxiliary drive actuator 2 responds to the parking / unlocking command and drives the second gear 32 to rotate through the auxiliary output shaft 21. Due to the gear meshing relationship, the second gear 32 synchronously drives the first gear 31 and the main output shaft 11 of the main drive actuator 1 to rotate (at this time, the main drive actuator 1 has no power output and is only passively dragged under the transmission linkage). The second gear 32 simultaneously drives the camshaft 42 and the cam 41 to rotate, so that the pressure slope 411 or the pressure relief plane 412 cooperates with the force roller 512, driving the engagement tooth 511 to engage or disengage the ratchet 61. During this process, the position sensor 72 continuously collects the position change information of the magnet assembly 71 to confirm whether the action is in place in real time, effectively ensuring the accuracy and safety of emergency operation.

[0027] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A parking mechanism that combines emergency parking and unlocking functions, characterized in that, It includes a main drive actuator, an auxiliary drive actuator, a transmission assembly, a cam actuator assembly, a pawl assembly, a ratchet, and a status detection assembly; The transmission assembly is used to realize the power linkage between the main drive actuator and the auxiliary drive actuator, and it is also connected to the main output shaft of the main drive actuator and the auxiliary output shaft of the auxiliary drive actuator. The cam actuator is connected to the transmission assembly and cooperates with the pawl assembly. By applying or removing pressure on the pawl assembly, the pawl assembly is driven to engage or disengage relative to the ratchet. The state detection component includes a magnet component integrated into the pawl component, and a position sensor paired with the magnet component for collecting position information of the magnet component to monitor the engagement state of the pawl component and the ratchet.

2. The parking mechanism with both emergency parking and unlocking functions as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a main power supply unit; the main power supply unit is electrically connected to both the main drive actuator and the auxiliary drive actuator, and is used to provide conventional operating power to the main drive actuator and the auxiliary drive actuator.

3. The parking mechanism with both emergency parking and unlocking functions as described in claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a backup power supply unit; the backup power supply unit is only electrically connected to the auxiliary drive actuator and is used to provide emergency power to the auxiliary drive actuator when the main power supply unit fails.

4. The parking mechanism with both emergency parking and unlocking functions as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The main power supply unit supplies power to the main drive actuator and sends parking / unlock commands. The main drive actuator drives the transmission assembly, which in turn drives the cam actuator. The auxiliary drive actuator is passively dragged in the opposite direction under the linkage of the transmission assembly. The cam actuator applies or removes pressure on the pawl assembly, causing the pawl assembly to engage or disengage from the ratchet. At the same time, the status detection assembly collects the position information of the magnet assembly and provides feedback to confirm the completion of the action.

5. The parking mechanism with both emergency parking and unlocking functions as described in claim 3, characterized in that, When the main drive actuator fails, the main power supply unit supplies power to the auxiliary drive actuator and sends a parking / unlock command. The auxiliary drive actuator drives the transmission assembly, which in turn drives the cam actuator assembly. The main drive actuator is passively dragged in the opposite direction under the linkage of the transmission assembly. The cam actuator applies or removes pressure on the pawl assembly, causing the pawl assembly to engage or disengage from the ratchet. At the same time, the status detection assembly collects the position information of the magnet assembly and provides feedback to confirm the completion of the action.

6. The parking mechanism with both emergency parking and unlocking functions as described in claim 3, characterized in that, When the main power supply unit fails, the backup power supply unit supplies power to the auxiliary drive actuator. After the auxiliary drive actuator is powered on, it drives the transmission assembly. The transmission assembly drives the cam actuator assembly, and the main drive actuator is passively dragged in the opposite direction under the linkage of the transmission assembly. The cam actuator assembly applies or removes pressure on the pawl assembly, causing the pawl assembly to engage or disengage from the ratchet. At the same time, the status detection assembly collects the position information of the magnet assembly and feeds it back to confirm that the action is completed.

7. The parking mechanism with both emergency parking and unlocking functions as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The main drive actuator is equipped with a first position detection component for real-time acquisition of its position information; the auxiliary drive actuator is equipped with a second position detection component for real-time acquisition of its position information; when the status detection component fails, the first position detection component feeds back the gear information of the main drive actuator or / and the second position detection component feeds back the gear information of the auxiliary drive actuator.

8. The parking mechanism with both emergency parking and unlocking functions according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The transmission assembly is a gear pair, including a first gear and a second gear that mesh with each other; the first gear is coaxially and fixedly connected to the main output shaft, and the second gear is coaxially and fixedly connected to the auxiliary output shaft, and the transmission ratio is set to 1:

1.

9. The parking mechanism with both emergency parking and unlocking functions according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The cam actuation assembly includes a cam and a camshaft; the camshaft is driven by the transmission assembly and serves as the mounting base for the cam; the outer periphery of the cam is provided with a pressure-applying inclined surface and a pressure-relieving surface for contacting the pawl assembly, and the pressure on the pawl assembly is applied and removed through the rotational movement of the cam.

10. The parking mechanism with both emergency parking and unlocking functions according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The pawl assembly includes a pawl body, a base shaft, and a return torsion spring; the base shaft extends laterally through the pawl body, and the pawl body reciprocates around the base shaft when subjected to external force; the pawl body is provided with engaging teeth that are adapted to the ratchet tooth groove and a force-receiving end that contacts the outer periphery of the cam actuation assembly; one end of the return torsion spring is connected to the side of the force-receiving end of the pawl body, assisting it in performing the return motion.

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