Parksperrkupplung

Abstract

To provide a parking lock clutch with a simple structure that reduces the switching thrust required to change the operating mode and achieves a reduction in size and an increase in service life, in a locking mode where relative rotation of an inner ring relative to an outer ring is prohibited, rollers are clamped in a circumferential direction between roller receiving sections provided in one of the outer and inner rings and roller support grooves provided in the other, and a radially outward load acting on the rollers is supported by a selector, while the roller contact surfaces of the selector that come into contact with the rollers are designed as inclined surfaces inclined with respect to the circumferential direction.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates, for example, to a parking lock coupling suitable for the construction of a vehicle parking lock system. 2. Description of the relevant state of the art

[0002] In a known parking lock system, a plurality of switchable one-way clutches or a plurality of two-way clutches are arranged between a plurality of speed-changing gear trains and an input shaft or between a plurality of speed-changing gear trains and an output shaft, and a parking lock that prevents rotation of the output shaft is formed by placing the speed-changing gear trains of two systems having different gear ratios into a double-engage state (see, e.g., Japanese patent application no. 2022-049749).

[0003] The problem with the vehicle parking locking system disclosed in Japanese patent application No. 2022-049749 is that, in order to set up the parking locking mechanism, the operating mode of the multitude of switchable clutches is controlled in such a way that the switchable clutches are put into a double-engagement state, which not only requires complex control but also leads to an increase in the number of parts.

[0004] In the meantime, the applicant of the present invention has proposed a switchable clutch with roller locking mechanism (see, for example, Japanese patent application No. 2024-013414) and has considered using this type of switchable clutch in the design of a vehicle parking locking system to solve the above problem.

[0005] The switchable clutch is designed to switch between a locked mode, in which relative rotation between an outer ring and an inner ring is prohibited, and a free mode, in which relative rotation between the outer ring and the inner ring is permitted, by rotating a selector within a predetermined angular range. The selector is formed, for example, from a disc-shaped element, and when the operating mode is switched from locked mode to free mode, the rollers are pressed radially outwards by an outer circumferential surface of the selector, so that the rollers are accommodated in roller receiving sections provided in the outer ring. OVERVIEW OF THE INVENTION

[0006] If the switchable clutch described above is used, for example, in a parking lock system, an embodiment can be considered in which the outer ring is fixed and the inner ring is able to rotate relative to the outer ring by being connected to a shaft element that rotates when a vehicle wheel turns. In this case, for design reasons, an embodiment can be considered in which the selector is formed, for example, from a disc-shaped element, and the rollers in the locking mode are pressed radially by an inner circumferential surface of the selector, so that the rollers are supported by roller support grooves provided in the inner ring.

[0007] However, in a switchable clutch with this design, a load continues to act on the rollers when switching the operating mode from locked mode to free mode until the torque transmitted between the outer ring and the inner ring decreases, which results in the problem that a large shift thrust is required to switch the operating mode to free mode.

[0008] The present invention was developed on the basis of the above-mentioned circumstances, and one object of it is to provide a parking lock clutch which, through a simple structure, can reduce the shift thrust required to change the operating mode and achieve a reduction in size and an increase in service life.

[0009] The present invention solves the problem described above by providing a parking lock clutch comprising an outer ring, an inner ring arranged coaxially to the outer ring so that it can rotate relative to the outer ring, a plurality of rollers arranged between the outer ring and the inner ring, a preloading element that preloads the rollers radially towards roller receiving sections provided in a joint between the outer ring and the inner ring, a selector configured to switch between an operating mode in which relative rotation between the outer ring and the inner ring is prevented and a free mode in which relative rotation between the outer ring and the inner ring is permitted, and a selector drive mechanism that sets the selector in rotation, wherein in the locking mode the rollers rotate in a circumferential direction between the roller receiving sections and roller support grooves,which are provided in the outer ring and the inner ring, are clamped in place and the selector presses the rollers against the roller support grooves, while the roller contact surfaces of the selector that come into contact with the rollers are designed as inclined surfaces that are inclined with respect to the circumferential direction.

[0010] According to the present invention, a load from the roller is absorbed by the roller contact surface, which is designed as an inclined surface. In locked mode, a force acts on the roller contact surface to rotate the selector in an unlocking direction. This allows for a reduction, through a simple structure, of the switching thrust required by the selector drive mechanism to change the operating mode from locked to unlocked. This facilitates easy switching of the operating mode and also reduces wear between the selector and the rollers. Consequently, an extended service life can be achieved. Furthermore, a reduction in size can be achieved by decreasing the selector's range of motion.

[0011] Furthermore, when designing an electric parking lock system where the selector drive mechanism has a drive source such as an actuator, it is possible to implement a design that has a low thrust actuator, and therefore it is also possible in this respect to achieve a reduction in size and also a reduction in manufacturing costs.

[0012] Furthermore, a locking mechanism is provided which is designed to secure the selector in one or both positions, a locked position and a released position, thereby preventing the selector from being unintentionally rotated in the unlocking direction while in locking mode, and consequently allowing the operating mode to be reliably maintained in locking mode.

[0013] By setting the inclination angle of a roller contact surface in the roller support groove relative to a reference plane to a different value than the inclination angle of a roller contact surface in the roller mounting section relative to the reference plane, a force for rotating the selector in the unlocking direction can be reliably applied to the roller contact surface in locked mode. This makes switching the operating mode from locked to free mode even easier, and the wear reduction effect between the selector and the roller is achieved even more reliably.

[0014] By forming the locking mechanism from a force transmission section of a drive rod and a rod entry hole in the outer ring, a locking mechanism for holding the selector in the locked position can be implemented using a simple structure. Furthermore, the switching stroke of the drive rod can be reduced when changing the operating mode. This allows the length of the drive rod to be shortened, enabling further miniaturization.

[0015] Furthermore, by providing a standby spring, when the roller mounting sections and roller support grooves are not in phase when the operating mode is switched from free mode to locked mode, the selector is prevented from rotating, and the standby spring can be compressed, thus holding the parking lock clutch in a locked standby state. Then, when the roller mounting sections and roller support grooves are in phase, a preload force generated by the standby spring can be released, allowing the selector to rotate and the parking lock clutch to engage. Machining or damage caused by an impact due to sudden engagement can thus be reliably prevented, extending service life and ensuring a high level of safety. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 shows a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a parking lock coupling according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a top view of the in Fig. 1 Parking lock coupling shown as seen from an axial end side, with part of it omitted; Fig. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view along line AA in Fig. 2; Fig. Figure 4 shows a perspective view illustrating a design of an outer ring of the in Fig. 1 shown parking lock coupling; Fig. Figure 5 shows a schematic view depicting a state in which the outer ring and an inner ring interlock; Fig. Figure 6 shows a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a selector that is in Fig. 1 shown parking lock coupling; Fig. Figure 7 shows a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a selector drive mechanism as described in Fig. 1 shown parking lock coupling; Fig. Figure 8A shows a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, illustrating an operating state of the selector drive mechanism in a free mode; Fig. 8B shows a front view illustrating the design of main parts of the parking lock coupling in free mode, with some parts omitted; Fig. Figure 9A shows a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, illustrating an operating state of the selector drive mechanism in a locking mode; Fig. 9B shows a front view illustrating the design of the main parts of the parking lock coupling in locking mode, with part of it omitted; Fig. Figure 10A shows a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, illustrating an operating state of the selector drive mechanism in a lock-ready state; Fig. 10B shows a front view illustrating the design of the main parts of the parking lock coupling in the locking readiness mode, with part of it omitted; Fig. Figure 11 shows a perspective exploded view illustrating an embodiment of a further example of the parking lock coupling according to the first embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 12 shows a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, illustrating the operating state of the selector drive mechanism in free mode; Fig. Figure 13 shows a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, illustrating the operating state of the selector drive mechanism in locking mode; Fig. Figure 14 shows a sectional view along the axial direction, illustrating the operating state of the selector drive mechanism in the ready-to-lock state; Fig. Figure 15 shows a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a parking lock coupling according to a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 16 shows a perspective view illustrating the design of the outer ring of the in Fig. 15 shown parking lock coupling; Fig. Figure 17 shows a perspective view illustrating the design of the selector in Fig. 15 shown parking lock coupling; Fig. Figure 18 shows a perspective view illustrating the design of the selector drive mechanism of the Fig. 15 shown parking lock coupling; Fig. Figure 19 shows a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, illustrating the operating state of the selector drive mechanism in free mode; Fig. Figure 20 shows a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, illustrating the operating state of the selector drive mechanism in locking mode; Fig. Figure 21 shows a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, illustrating the operating state of the selector drive mechanism in the ready-to-lock state; Fig. Figure 22 shows a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a parking lock coupling according to a third embodiment of the present invention; Fig. Figure 23A shows a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, illustrating the operating state of the selector drive mechanism in locking mode; Fig. 23B shows a front view illustrating the design of the main parts of the parking lock coupling in locking mode, with part of it omitted; Fig. Figure 24A shows a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, illustrating the operating state of the selector drive mechanism in free mode; Fig. 24B shows a front view illustrating the design of the main parts of the parking lock coupling in free mode, with part of it omitted; Fig. Figure 25A shows a cross-sectional view along the axial direction, illustrating the operating state of the selector drive mechanism in the ready-to-block state; Fig. Figure 25B shows a front view illustrating the design of the main parts of the parking lock coupling in the ready-to-lock state, with a portion of it omitted. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EXECUTION FORMS

[0016] A parking lock coupling according to the present invention is described below based on the drawings. First embodiment

[0017] As in the Fig. 1, Fig. 2 to Fig. Figure 3 shows that a parking lock coupling 100 according to the present embodiment comprises an outer ring 110, an inner ring 120, a plurality of rollers 130, a preload element 135, a selector 140, a selector drive mechanism 150, and a retaining plate 170. Fig. 1, Fig. 2 to Fig. 3 designates C as the axis of rotation. It should be noted that in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 For the sake of simplicity, the retaining plate 170 has been omitted and only a fastening pin element 171 for fastening the retaining plate 170 to the outer ring 110 is shown.

[0018] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4, the outer ring 110 has a base section 111 with an annular plate 111a and a guide plate 111b. The guide plate 111b is integrally formed on the outer circumferential surface of the annular plate 111a, so that it projects radially outwards. The guide plate 111b consists of a plate-shaped body that is rectangular in plan view and is designed to extend along a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation C.

[0019] Fastening sections 112 are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the annular plate 111a in positions that are arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction, and the fastening sections 112 are attached to a fastening object, for example by fastening bolts (not shown).

[0020] A cylindrical section 113, extending from the inner circumferential edge to an axial end face, is formed on a surface of the annular plate 111a.

[0021] Cutouts extending in the axial direction from an axial end edge are provided at positions arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical section 113 to form stepped sections 114 in a surface of the base section 111, thereby forming a plurality of roller receiving sections 115, each corresponding to the plurality of rollers 130, in order to accommodate the rollers 130.

[0022] An annular stepped section 113a is formed in an inner circumferential edge at an end side of the cylindrical section 113 to position the preloading element 135 when the rollers 130 are received in the roller receiving sections 115.

[0023] In the guide plate 111b a rod insertion hole 116 is formed, into which a drive rod 151, which forms the selector drive mechanism 150, is slidably inserted.

[0024] The rod insertion hole 116 has a selector push-section insertion section 116a, which is designed to extend in the longitudinal direction of the guide plate 111b and has a rectangular opening shape, and a bearing insertion section 116b, which is continuous with one longitudinal side of the selector push-section insertion section 116a and has a circular opening shape.

[0025] The inner ring 120 is arranged coaxially to the cylindrical section 113 of the outer ring 110, so that its outer circumferential surface is located near and opposite to the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical section 113 of the outer ring 110, and it is provided so that it can rotate relative to the outer ring 110.

[0026] In the inner ring 120, as in Fig. Figure 1 shows a plurality of roller support grooves 121, each corresponding to a plurality of rollers 130, formed in the outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical base such that they extend in the axial direction.

[0027] The roller support groove 121 is designed as a concave groove with a substantially flat bottom wall section and circumferential wall sections that are continuous with both sides of the bottom wall section and have an arcuate transverse section, and is able to accommodate and support part of the circumferential surface of the roller 130.

[0028] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 5, the inclination angle θ1 of a roller contact surface at a contact point between the roller 130 and the circumferential wall sections of the roller support groove 121, when the roller 130 is clamped circumferentially between the roller support groove 121 and the roller receiving section 115 with respect to a reference plane containing the axis of rotation C and the center of the roller, is set to a different value than the inclination angle θ2 of a side wall surface of the roller receiving section 115, which serves as the roller contact surface on the side of the outer ring 110, with respect to the reference plane. Thus, when the roller 130 is clamped circumferentially between the roller support groove 121 and the roller receiving section 115, a load directed towards the side of the roller receiving section 115 (radially outwards) acts on the roller 130.

[0029] In the present embodiment, the opening edge of the roller support groove 121 has a chamfered shape, so that even if the roller 130 attempts to move towards the side of the roller support groove 121 due to a malfunction or fault of the selector 140, while the inner ring 120 rotates at a certain speed or higher, the roller 130 is repelled by the chamfered section towards the side of the roller receiving section 115. This prevents the outer ring 110 and the inner ring 120 from unintentionally engaging, thus achieving a high degree of safety. It should be noted that the opening edge of the roller support groove 121 can, for example, have a rounded shape.

[0030] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, each of the plurality of rollers 130 is shaped such that it projects axially outwards beyond an end surface of the inner ring 120, and a preload element mounting groove 131 is formed in the circumferential surface of the projecting part such that it extends around the entire circumference in the circumferential direction.

[0031] The movement of each of the plurality of rollers 130 towards the other axial end side is limited by the stepped section 114 formed in the base section 111 of the outer ring 110.

[0032] In this embodiment, for example, six rollers 130 are arranged in positions that are arranged at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction, however, there are no special restrictions regarding the number of rollers 130, and furthermore, the arrangement distances do not have to be the same.

[0033] In this embodiment, the preload element 135 is used jointly by the plurality of rollers 130 and consists, for example, of an annular spring.

[0034] The preloading element 135 is attached to the preloading element mounting groove 131 of the roller 130 from the inside in a radial direction such that it preloads the rollers 130 radially outwards in the direction of the roller receiving section 115.

[0035] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 6, the selector 140 has an annular, plate-shaped main body section 141 and an actuating section 145, which is integrally provided on the outer circumferential surface of the main body section 141, so that it projects radially outwards.

[0036] The selector 140 is arranged coaxially with the cylindrical section 113 of the outer ring 110 and the inner ring 120 in alignment with the outer ring 110 in the axial direction in a state in which the cylindrical section 113 of the outer ring 110 is slidably inserted into the main body section 141.

[0037] The selector 140 is designed to rotate independently of the inner ring 120 between a released position, in which the operating mode of the parking lock coupling 100 is set to a free mode, and a locked position, in which the operating mode of the parking lock coupling 100 is set to a locking mode.

[0038] The actuating section 145 consists of a rectangular, piece-shaped body with an elongated radial dimension in plan view and is designed to extend along a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation C. In this embodiment, the actuating section 145 is positioned such that it overlaps the guide plate 111b on the other longitudinal side of the selector-push-section insertion section 116a when the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 is set to the free mode (which is described in the Fig. 1, Fig. 2 to Fig. 3 shown condition).

[0039] Pockets 143, which are designed so that the rollers 130 can be received in the roller receiving sections 115 when the selector 140 is in an unlocking direction (e.g. clockwise in Fig. 2) is rotated to switch to free mode, in which the inner ring 120 can rotate relative to the outer ring 110, are formed in the inner circumferential surface of the main body section 141.

[0040] A wall surface of the pocket 143 on a locking direction side is designed as an inclined surface 144, which is inclined outwards in the radial direction in the unlocking direction. When the roller 130 is clamped circumferentially between the roller support groove 121 and the roller receiving section 115, the inclined surface 144 forms a roller contact surface that absorbs a radially outwardly directed load (including a preload force generated by the preloading element 135) acting on the roller 130. By rotating the selector 140 in the locking direction, the roller 130, which is held in the roller receiving section 115, can also be easily moved radially towards the roller support groove 121 by the action of the inclined surface 144, thus making it possible to easily switch from free mode to locking mode. Furthermore, the locking mechanism can be reliably implemented.

[0041] Furthermore, a concave groove 142 is formed in the outer circumferential surface of the main body section 141 to guide the fastening pin element 171 during rotation of the selector 140, thereby limiting the selector 140's range of motion. This prevents the selector 140 from running freely, thus enabling reliable switching between the free mode and the locked mode.

[0042] The selector drive mechanism 150, as in Fig. Figure 7 shows a drive rod 151, a power transmission section 160 provided at the front end of the drive rod 151, and a ready spring 155 consisting of a coil spring which is provided with the drive rod 151 inserted therein.

[0043] The drive rod 151 is a solid, round, rod-shaped element with a circular cross-section and has a tip-end engagement section 151a formed on the circumferential surface at one longitudinal end side, and a base-end engagement section 151b formed on the circumferential surface at the other longitudinal end side.

[0044] The drive rod 151 is designed to move back and forth in the direction of the axis of rotation between a first position, in which the selector 140 is in the released position, and a second position, in which the selector 140 is in the locked position.

[0045] The power transmission section 160 has a cylindrical bearing 161 for the sliding support of the drive rod 151 and a pressure section 162, which is integrally formed with the outer circumferential surface of the bearing 161, so that it projects radially outwards.

[0046] The bearing 161 abuts the end-face engagement section 151a of the drive rod 151 to prevent the bearing 161 from falling off the drive rod 151.

[0047] The pressure section 162 is formed from a plate-shaped body which has an outer shape that corresponds to the opening shape of the selector pressure section insertion section 116a of the rod insertion hole 116 in the outer ring 110 in a top view of the bearing 161 from the axial direction.

[0048] An end surface of the pressure section 162 at the axial tip end of the drive rod 151 is designed as a cam surface 166 which inclines outwards in the radial direction of the bearing 161 towards the axial base end, and when the drive rod 151 moves, the actuating section 145 of the selector 140 is guided along the cam surface 166 to cause the selector 140 to rotate.

[0049] Furthermore, a side surface of the pressure section 162, radially outside the bearing 161, is a flat surface that extends axially throughout the cam surface 166 and, when inserted into the selector pressure section insertion section 116a, engages with the inner surface of the selector pressure section insertion section 116a and the side surface of the actuating section 145 of the selector 140. In other words, the side surface of the pressure section 162, radially outside the bearing 161, acts as an anti-rotation surface 167, preventing rotation of the selector 140, while the force transmission section 160, together with the rod insertion hole 116, forms a locking mechanism 165 (see Fig. 1), who is trained to be able to secure selector 140 in the locked position.

[0050] The ready spring 155 is provided in a state in which one end abuts the power transmission section 160 to push the power transmission section 160 towards the tip end of the drive rod 151, and the other end engages with the base-end engagement section 151b of the drive rod 151. When the selector 140 is rotated in the locking direction so that the selector 140 is positioned in the locked position, the ready spring 155 is elastically deformed in a compression direction.

[0051] The retaining plate 170 has the form of an annular plate and is positioned at an axial end face of the selector 140 and fastened to the outer ring 110 by the fastening pin element 171. This prevents the components of the parking lock coupling 100 from separating from each other in the axial direction. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 3, the retaining plate 170 is arranged so that it covers the roller support grooves 121 and thus also serves as a holder for the rollers 130.

[0052] As in the Fig. 8A and Fig. As shown in Figure 8B, in the parking lock clutch 100 described above, when the drive rod 151 is positioned in the first position, the selector 140 is in the released position, and the rollers 130 are engaged in the roller receiving sections 115 and pockets 143. In other words, the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 is set to the free mode, in which the inner ring 120 can rotate relative to the outer ring 110. At this point, the actuating section 145 of the selector 140 is in contact with the cam surface 166 of the power transmission section 160.

[0053] When the drive rod 151 is moved into the second position, the selector 140 is rotated in the locking direction by the action of the cam surface 166 of the power transmission section 160. Thus, the rollers 130, which are held in the roller mounting sections 115, are moved radially inwards towards the roller support grooves 121 against the preload force of the preload element 135 by the action of the inclined surfaces 144 of the selector 140. Then, when the drive rod 151 is moved into the second position, the rollers 130 are, as in the Fig. 9A and Fig. As shown in Figure 9B, the roller support grooves 121 support the selector while it is pressed by the inclined surfaces 144 of the selector 140. Meanwhile, the power transmission section 160 is positioned in the rod entry hole 116 such that the anti-rotation surface 167 of the power transmission section 160 engages with the inner surface of the rod entry hole 116 and the side surface of the actuating section 145 of the selector 140. This switches the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 to the locking mode, and the parking lock clutch 100 is held in a state in which the selector 140 is prevented from rotating in the release direction.

[0054] In locking mode, when a torque is applied to the inner ring 120, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 5, the rollers 130 receive a pressing force F1 from the roller support grooves 121 in a direction perpendicular to the circumferential wall sections and are thereby pressed against the wall surfaces of the roller receiving sections 115. At this point, a force acts on the rollers 130 to move them radially outwards in a direction extending along the wall surfaces of the roller receiving sections 115, and a radially outwardly directed load Fr, including the preload force of the preloading element 135, acts on the inclined surfaces 144 of the pockets 143. Fig. In section 5, F2 denotes a normal force exerted on the roller 130 by the roller mounting section 115, and F3 denotes a normal force exerted on the roller 130 by the inclined surface 144. More precisely, when a torque is applied to the inner ring 120, the rollers 130 are clamped circumferentially between the roller support grooves 121 and the roller mounting sections 115, and the radially outward load Fr acting on the rollers 130 is borne by the inclined surfaces 144 of the selector 140. This causes the outer ring 110 and the inner ring 120 to engage with each other.

[0055] If the roller receiving sections 115 and the roller support grooves 121 are not in phase with each other when the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 is switched from free mode to locked mode, the selector 140 is prevented from rotating in the locking direction, and as a result, the ready spring 155 is compressed, as shown in the Fig. 10A and Fig. Figure 10B shows the action when the drive rod 151 moves. At this point, the parking lock clutch 100 enters a locked readiness state. Accordingly, when the inner ring 120 rotates at a certain speed or higher, machining or damage caused by an impact due to a sudden engagement of the outer ring 110 and inner ring 120 can be reliably prevented, thus increasing service life and ensuring a high level of safety.

[0056] Then, when the roller mounting sections 115 and the roller support grooves 121 are in phase with each other, the preload force generated by the readiness spring 155 is released, causing the selector 140 to rotate in the locking direction. As a result, the rollers 130 are moved radially towards the roller support grooves 121 by the action of the inclined surfaces 144 of the selector 140, thereby switching the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 to the locking mode.

[0057] In the parking lock coupling 100 according to the first embodiment described above, the locking mechanism 165 is not limited to the design according to the embodiment described above, as long as the locking mechanism 165 is designed in such a way that it is able to secure the selector 140 in the locked position or in the released position.

[0058] Fig. Figure 11 shows a perspective exploded view illustrating an embodiment of another example of the parking lock coupling according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the following, identical reference numerals have been assigned to the components that are identical to those of the parking lock coupling 100 described above, and their descriptions have been omitted.

[0059] In the parking lock clutch 100 according to this embodiment, the power transmission section 160 of the selector drive mechanism 150 has a large-diameter tubular section 163a with a circumferential surface that forms the anti-rotation surface 167, a pressure section 163b that extends through the tip end of the large-diameter tubular section 163a, and a small-diameter tubular section 163c that extends through the tip end of the pressure section 163b. The pressure section 163b is frustoconical in shape, such that its diameter decreases towards the axial tip end of the drive rod 151, and its circumferential surface acts as a cam surface 166.

[0060] The guide plate 111b of the outer ring 110 has a plate-shaped, outer-ring-side locking section 117 on one longitudinal side of a surface thereof. An axially extending through-hole 119 is formed in an elongated central section of the guide plate 111b, such that a groove 118, forming a column-shaped space open on the other longitudinal side of the guide plate 111b, is formed in the other side surface of the outer-ring-side locking section 117. An opening edge of the outer-ring-side locking section 117 on the other axial end face of the groove 118 is chamfered to form a tapered surface 118a corresponding to the circumferential surface of the cone.

[0061] A groove 148, forming a selector-side locking section, is formed in a side face of the actuating section 145 of the selector 140, opposite the outer-ring-side locking section 117, such that it extends in the axial direction. The groove 148 is designed to form a column-shaped space that is open on the outer-ring-side locking section 117. When the other side faces of the actuating section 145 and the guide plate 111b are positioned on the same plane, the groove 148 extends continuously through the through-hole 119 in the guide plate 111b. An opening edge of the groove 148 on the other axial end face is chamfered to form a tapered surface 148a that corresponds to the circumferential surface of the cone.

[0062] The groove 148, which forms the selector-side locking section, is structured such that it is symmetrical to the groove 118 of the outer-ring-side locking section 117, and in this embodiment the groove 118 of the outer-ring-side locking section 117, the groove 148, which forms the selector-side locking section, and the through-hole 119 form the rod insertion hole 116 and, together with the power transmission section 160 in the selector drive mechanism 150, form the locking mechanism 165 (see Fig. 12), who is trained to be able to secure selector 140 in the locked position.

[0063] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 12, in the above-described parking lock clutch 100, when the drive rod 151 is positioned in the first position, so that the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 is set to the free mode, a part of the cam surface 166 of the pressure section 163b of the power transmission section 160 abuts the tapered surface 148a of the selector-side locking section.

[0064] When the drive rod 151 is moved into the second position, the selector 140 is rotated in the locking direction by the action of the cam surface 166 of the pressure section 163b of the power transmission section 160. As in Fig. Figure 13 shows that when the drive rod 151 is moved into the second position, the large-diameter tubular section 163a of the power transmission section 160 is positioned in the through-bore 119 such that the anti-rotation surface 167 engages with the inner surface of the through-bore 119, the inner surface of the groove 118 of the outer-ring locking section 117, and the inner surface of the groove 148 of the selector-side locking section. This switches the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 to the locking mode, thus holding the parking lock clutch 100 in a state in which the selector 140 is prevented from rotating in the unlocking direction.

[0065] If the roller receiving sections 115 and the roller support grooves 121 are not in phase with each other when the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 is switched from free mode to locked mode, the selector 140 is prevented from rotating, and as a result, the ready spring 155 is compressed, as shown in Fig. Figure 14 shows the action when the drive rod 151 moves. At this point, the parking lock clutch 100 enters the ready-to-lock state. When the roller receiving sections 115 and the roller support grooves 121 are in phase with each other, the preload force generated by the ready spring 155 is released, so that the selector 140 is rotated in the locking direction by the action of the push section 163b of the power transmission section 160. This switches the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 to the locking mode. Second embodiment

[0066] Fig. Figure 15 shows a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a parking lock coupling according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0067] The parking lock coupling 100 according to this embodiment has the same design as the parking lock coupling 100 according to the first embodiment described above, except that the locking mechanism 165 provided therein is designed to also prevent unintentional rotation of the selector 140 when the operating mode is set to the free mode. In the following, identical reference numerals have been assigned to the components that are identical to those of the parking lock coupling 100 described above, and their descriptions have been omitted.

[0068] In this embodiment, as also in Fig. As shown in Figure 16, the rod insertion hole 116 of the outer ring 110 is designed such that the bearing insertion section 116b is formed in a central longitudinal position of the selector push section insertion section 116a.

[0069] In this embodiment, as also in Fig. As shown in Figure 17, the actuating section 145 of the selector 140 consists of a plate-shaped body which is rectangular in plan view and is designed to extend along a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation C.

[0070] The actuating section 145 has a through hole 146 which is positioned so that it overlaps the guide plate 111b of the outer ring 110 in the axial direction, is designed so that it extends in the circumferential direction, and is designed so that the power transmission section 160 of the selector drive mechanism 150 can be inserted therein.

[0071] In this embodiment, which is also in Fig. As shown in Figure 18, the power transmission section 160 of the selector drive mechanism 150 is designed such that a first pressure section 162a and a second pressure section 162b are integrally provided in positions on the outer circumferential surface of the bearing 161, which face each other via the central axis of the bearing 161, so that they project outwards in the radial direction, and together with the rod insertion hole 116 forms the locking mechanism 165 (see Figure 18). Fig. 19), which is designed to be able to secure the selector 140 in both the locked and unlocked positions.

[0072] The first pressure section 162a is formed from a plate-shaped body which has an outer shape corresponding to the opening shape of part of the selector pressure section insertion section 116a of the rod insertion hole 116, which is located on the other side of the bearing insertion section 116b in a top view from the axial direction of the bearing 161.

[0073] An end surface of the first pressure section 162a on the axial tip end side of the drive rod 151 serves as a cam surface 166a, which inclines outwards in the radial direction of the bearing 161 towards the axial base end side, while a side surface of the first pressure section 162a on the radial outside of the bearing 161 is a flat surface which extends continuously in the axial direction with the cam surface 166a and which acts as an anti-rotation surface 167a.

[0074] The second pressure section 162b is formed from a plate-shaped body which has an outer shape corresponding to the opening shape of part of the selector pressure section insertion section 116a of the rod insertion hole 116, which is located on one side of the bearing insertion section 116b in a top view from the axial direction of the bearing 161.

[0075] An end surface of the second pressure section 162b on the axial phase end side of the drive rod 151 serves as a cam surface 166b, which inclines outwards in the radial direction of the bearing 161 towards the axial tip end side, while a side surface of the second pressure section 162b on the radial outside of the bearing 161 is a flat surface which extends continuously in the axial direction with the cam surface 166b and which acts as an anti-rotation surface 167b.

[0076] The above-described parking lock coupling 100, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 19, when the drive rod 151 is positioned in the first position and the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 is set to the free mode, the anti-rotation surface 167b of the second pressure section 162b of the power transmission section 160 engages in the inner surface of the through-hole 146 in the actuating section 145 of the selector 140 and in the inner surface of the rod insertion hole 116 of the outer ring 110, thereby holding the parking lock clutch 100 in a state in which the selector 140 is prevented from rotating in the locking direction.

[0077] When the drive rod 151 is moved into the second position, the selector 140 is rotated in the locking direction by the action of the cam surface 166 of the first pressure section 162a of the power transmission section 160. As in Fig. Figure 20 shows that when the drive rod 151 is moved into the second position, the first push section 162a of the power transmission section 160 is positioned in the rod entry hole 116 such that the anti-rotation surface 167 of the first push section 162a engages with the inner surface of the rod entry hole 116 and the inner surface of the through hole 146 in the selector 140. This switches the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 to the locking mode, thus holding the parking lock clutch 100 in a state in which the selector 140 is prevented from rotating in the unlocking direction.

[0078] If the roller receiving sections 115 and the roller support grooves 121 are not in phase with each other when the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 is switched from free mode to locked mode, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 21, the ready spring 155 is compressed when the drive rod 151 moves. At this point, the parking lock clutch 100 enters the ready-to-lock state. Then, when the roller receiving sections 115 and the roller support grooves 121 are in phase with each other, the preload force generated by the ready spring 155 is released, causing the selector 140 to rotate in the locking direction. This switches the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 to the locking mode. Third embodiment

[0079] Fig. Figure 22 shows a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a parking lock coupling according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[0080] The parking lock coupling 100 according to this embodiment has the same design as the parking lock coupling 100 according to the first embodiment described above, insofar as the ready spring 155 is provided on the selector 140 and the locking mechanism 165 is designed to prevent the selector 140 from rotating in the locking direction in free mode. In the following, identical reference numerals have been assigned to the components that are identical to those of the parking lock coupling 100 described above, and their descriptions have been omitted.

[0081] In this embodiment, the rod insertion hole 116 of the outer ring 110 is designed such that the bearing insertion section 116b is continuous with the other longitudinal side of the selector push section insertion section 116a.

[0082] In this embodiment, the selector 140 has a ready-spring mounting groove 147, which is designed to extend concentrically to the axis of rotation C in the circumferential direction, and the ready-spring 155 is arranged in the ready-spring mounting groove 147. The ready-spring 155 is in its natural state when the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 is set to the locked mode, and one end of it is attached to a stop pin 156, which is attached to the outer ring 110. In other words, when the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 is set to the free mode, the ready-spring 155 is compressed, so that the selector 140 is forced to rotate in the locking direction.

[0083] In this embodiment, the actuating section 145 is positioned such that it overlaps the guide plate 111b on one longitudinal side of the selector push-section insertion section 116a when the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 is set to the locking mode (which is described in Fig. 22 (shown condition).

[0084] In this embodiment, in the power transmission section 160 of the selector drive mechanism 150, a side surface of the pressure section 162 radially outside the bearing 161 acts as a rotation-prevention surface 167 (see Fig. 23A), and together with the rod insertion hole 116, the power transmission section 160 forms the locking mechanism 165, which is designed to secure the selector 140 in the released position.

[0085] In the parking lock coupling 100 according to this embodiment, as in the Fig. 23A and Fig. As shown in Figure 23B, the rollers 130 are pressed by the inclined surfaces 144 of the selector 140 so that they are supported by the roller support grooves 121 when the drive rod 151 is positioned in the second position, thus setting the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 to the locking mode. At this point, the actuating section 145 of the selector 140 is in contact with the cam surface 166 of the power transmission section 160.

[0086] When the drive rod 151 is moved into the first position, the selector 140 is rotated in the unlocking direction by the action of the cam surface 166 of the power transmission section 160, while the readiness spring 155 is compressed. As a result, the rollers 130 are radially biased outwards by the preload element 135, which moves the rollers 130 towards the roller receiving sections 115.

[0087] Then, when the drive rod 151 is moved into the first position, as described in the Fig. 24A and Fig. As shown in Figure 24B, the rollers 130 are received in the roller receiving sections 115 and the pockets 143, while the power transmission section 160 is positioned in the rod insertion opening 116. Thus, the anti-rotation surface 167 of the power transmission section 160 engages with the inner surface of the rod insertion opening 116 and the side surface of the actuating section 145 of the selector 140. This switches the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 to the free mode, holding the parking lock clutch 100 in a state where the selector 140 is prevented from rotating in the locking direction by the preload force of the ready spring 155.

[0088] When the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 is switched from free mode to locking mode, the drive rod 151 is moved towards the second position, thereby releasing the preload force of the ready spring 155 and rotating the selector 140 in the locking direction.

[0089] At this point, when the roller mounting sections 115 and the roller support grooves 121 are not in phase with each other, the selector 140 is prevented from rotating in the locking direction, and as a result, the ready spring 155 is compressed, as shown in the Fig. 25A and Fig. 25B shown when the drive rod moves 100.

[0090] Then, when the roller mounting sections 115 and the roller support grooves 121 are in phase with each other, the preload force generated by the readiness spring 155 is released, causing the selector 140 to rotate in the locking direction. As a result, the rollers 130 are moved radially towards the roller support grooves 121 by the action of the inclined surfaces 144 of the selector 140, thereby switching the operating mode of the parking lock clutch 100 to the locking mode.

[0091] In the third embodiment described above, the locking mechanism 165 is designed to prevent the selector 140 from rotating in free mode. However, similar to the parking lock clutch 100 in the first embodiment, the locking mechanism 165 can also be designed to prevent the selector 140 from rotating in locked mode. In this configuration, the ready spring 155 can be arranged to return to its natural state in free mode.

[0092] The parking lock coupling 100 described above can be used either for an electric parking lock system, in which the drive rod 151 of the selector drive mechanism 150 is driven by a drive source such as an actuator and the operation of the actuator is controlled by an electrical signal, or for a mechanical parking lock system, in which a gearshift lever in a vehicle is connected to the drive rod 151 by a mechanical connection.

[0093] Furthermore, as long as the parking lock coupling 100 is provided on a shaft element that rotates together with a vehicle wheel, its position is not particularly limited, and the parking lock coupling 100 can be provided on the axle of a driving wheel or a driven wheel, or on any input shaft, output shaft or intermediate shaft of a transmission.

[0094] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited by the embodiments described above, and various design changes can be made without deviating from the inventions defined in the claims.

[0095] In the above embodiments, for example, configurations were described in which the roller support grooves are formed in the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring, the roller receiving sections are formed in the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring, and the preloading element is arranged such that it preloads the rollers radially outwards; however, instead, the roller support grooves can be formed in the inner circumferential surface of the outer ring, and the roller receiving sections can be formed in the outer circumferential surface of the inner ring.

[0096] Provided that the selector drive mechanism is designed to convert a linear movement of the drive rod into a rotary movement of the selector, the selector drive mechanism is not limited to the configurations described above. Furthermore, the direction of movement of the drive rod is not limited to the direction of the axis of rotation and can be a direction extending along a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation, or a direction inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation. QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents cited by the applicant was automatically generated and is included solely for the reader's convenience. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] JP 2022

[0002] JP 049749

[0002] JP 2022-049749

[0003] JP 2024-013414

[0004]

Claims

Parking locking clutch comprising: an outer ring; an inner ring provided coaxially to the outer ring so that it can rotate relative to the outer ring; a plurality of rollers arranged between the outer ring and the inner ring; a preloading element that preloads the rollers radially towards roller receiving sections provided in a unit formed by the outer ring and the inner ring;a selector configured to switch between an operating mode in which relative rotation between the outer ring and the inner ring is prevented and a free mode in which relative rotation between the outer ring and the inner ring is permitted, and a selector drive mechanism that sets the selector in rotation, wherein in the locking mode the rollers are clamped in a circumferential direction between the roller receiving sections and roller support grooves provided in the outer ring and the inner ring respectively, and the selector presses the rollers against the roller support grooves, and the roller contact surfaces of the selector that come into contact with the rollers are designed as inclined surfaces inclined with respect to the circumferential direction. Parking lock coupling according to claim 1, comprising a locking mechanism configured to secure the selector in one or both positions from a locked position in which the operating mode of the parking lock coupling is set to the locked mode, or in a released position in which the operating mode of the parking lock coupling is set to the free mode. Parking locking coupling according to claim 1, wherein an inclination angle of a roller contact surface in the roller support groove, when the roller is clamped in the circumferential direction between the roller support groove and the roller receiving section, has a different magnitude with respect to a reference plane which includes an axis of rotation and the center of the roller than an inclination angle of a roller contact surface in the roller receiving section with respect to the reference plane. Parking locking clutch according to claim 2, wherein the selector drive mechanism has a drive rod which is linearly driven to rotate the selector between the locked position and the released position, wherein the outer ring has a rod entry hole into which the drive rod is slidably inserted, wherein the drive rod has a power transmission section which is configured to extend obliquely with respect to a direction of movement of the drive rod, and has a cam surface for guiding the selector and a rotation prevention surface which is configured to engage with an inner surface of the rod entry hole, and wherein the locking mechanism consists of the rod entry hole and the power transmission section. Parking lock coupling according to claim 1, comprising a ready spring which is placed in a compressed state when the roller support groove and the roller receiving section are not in phase with each other when switching the operating mode of the parking lock coupling.

Images