Device for releasing parking lock mechanism

Abstract

To provide a device for releasing a parking lock mechanism that can be easily returned to a state where parking locking is possible even after the parking lock is released.SOLUTION: A guide member 62 is supported by a turning shaft 64 such that the guide member can be turned to a guiding position and a non-guiding position. The guide member 62 is operated by a releasing member 68 to a non-release position in which the guide member 62 is fixed to the guiding position and a release position in which a parking lock pole 16 is allowed to move to an unlock position in spite of that a parking rod 30 is at an advance position. Thus, even though the parking rod 30 is at the advance position, the parking lock can be easily returned to a state where parking lock is possible by releasing the parking lock by the releasing member 68.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a release device for a parking lock mechanism for a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] A parking lock mechanism for a vehicle is known, which includes: (a) a parking gear; (b) a parking pole movable between a locked position where the parking gear is engaged with the parking gear to keep the parking gear in a locked state and an unlocked position where the parking gear is disengaged from the parking gear to keep the parking gear in an unlocked state; (c) a parking rod movable between a restricted position where the parking pole is restricted to the locked position and an allowed position where the parking pole is allowed to move to the unlocked position; (d) an actuator capable of electrically driving the parking rod between the restricted position and the allowed position; and (e) a case that houses the parking gear, the parking pole, the parking rod, and the actuator. The parking lock mechanism for a vehicle is preferably applied to a shift-by-wire (SBW) vehicle.

[0003] However, in a vehicle equipped with the vehicle parking lock mechanism, if the parking rod cannot be driven using the actuator due to a power failure, a malfunction of the actuator, etc., the parking lock cannot be released. To deal with this situation, Patent Document 1 discloses a release device that enables the parking lock to be released manually. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2022-66707 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, in Patent Document 1, an intervening member that restricts the operation of the parking rod is fixed with an operating member, and the operating member is manually removed to remove the operation restriction of the intervening member and release the parking lock, but after the operation restriction of the intervening member is removed, it is difficult to easily return to the state in which the operation restriction of the intervening member is implemented. In other words, in order to return to a state in which the parking lock can be performed again after the parking lock is released, for example, it is necessary to disassemble the inside of the parking lock mechanism, and there is a problem in ensuring the ease of returning to the state in which the parking lock can be performed.

[0006] The present invention has been made against the background of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a parking lock mechanism release device that can easily return the vehicle to a state where it can be locked, even after the parking lock release operation has been performed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The gist of the present invention is a parking system comprising: (a) a parking gear; (b) a parking pole movable between a locked position where the parking gear is engaged with the parking gear to maintain the parking gear in a locked state and an unlocked position where the parking gear is disengaged from the parking gear to maintain the parking gear in an unlocked state; (c) a parking rod movable between a forward position where the parking pole is restricted to the locked position and a reverse position where the parking pole is permitted to move to the unlocked position; (d) an actuator capable of electrically driving the parking rod between the forward position and the reverse position; (e) a case that houses the parking gear, the parking pole, the parking rod, and the actuator; and (f) a guide mechanism that guides a tip end of the parking rod operated from the reverse position to the forward position to a side where the parking pole moves toward the locked position; and (g) The guide mechanism is a release device for a parking lock mechanism having a guide member having a guide surface that guides the tip of the parking rod in the case toward the side where the parking pole is placed in the locked position by clamping the tip of the parking rod in the case between the parking rod and the parking pole, and is characterized in that it comprises: (h) a rotating shaft fixed to the case and supporting one end of the guide member so that the guide member can be rotated between a guide position and a non-guiding position; and (i) a release member provided on the case and operable to an unreleased position in which the guide member abuts against the guide member to fix the guide member in the guide position, and an released position in which the guide member is separated from the engagement member to rotate from the guide position to the non-guiding position and to allow the parking pole to be moved to the unlocked position even though the parking rod is in the forward position. Effect of the Invention

[0008] In such a release device for a vehicle parking lock release mechanism, the guide member is supported by a rotating shaft so as to be rotatable between a guide position and a non-guiding position, and is operated by a release member between a non-release position where the guide member is fixed to the guide position and a release position where the parking lock pole is allowed to move away from the parking gear even though the parking rod is in the forward position. As a result, the parking lock is released even though the parking rod is in the forward position, and the vehicle can easily be restored to the parking lockable state. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of a parking lock mechanism for a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a state in which the parking lock mechanism is not engaged; [Diagram 2] 2 is a diagram illustrating a parking lock state in the vehicle parking lock mechanism of FIG. 1. FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the parking lock is released even though the release member is operated to the release position and the parking rod is in the forward position, following the steps of FIG. 2 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] The parking lock mechanism for a vehicle of the present invention is applied to a parking lock mechanism of a shift-by-wire (SBW) system in which a shift range selected by a shift range selection device such as a shift lever is electrically established by an electrically controlled actuator such as an electric or hydraulic type. The shift range has at least a P (parking) range for parking that cuts off the power transmission and mechanically prevents the rotation of the output shaft, and when the P range is selected, the parking lock mechanism is set to a parking lock state. In addition to the P range, there are, for example, a D (drive) range that allows forward driving and an R (reverse) range that allows reverse driving. The vehicle can be applied to various vehicles such as an engine-driven vehicle that generates power by burning fuel, an electric vehicle driven by an electric motor, or a hybrid vehicle equipped with multiple power sources. EXAMPLES

[0011] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that in the following embodiments, the drawings are appropriately simplified or modified for the purpose of explanation, and the dimensional ratios, shapes, angles, etc. of each part are not necessarily drawn accurately.

[0012] 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle parking lock mechanism 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle parking lock mechanism 10 includes a parking gear 12, a parking pole 16, a parking rod 30, an actuator 40, the case 50, and a guide mechanism 60 housed within the case 50.

[0013] The parking gear 12 is fixed to a power transmission shaft of a vehicle (not shown), and a plurality of recesses 14 are formed between the outer peripheral teeth of the parking gear 12.

[0014] The parking pole 16 has an engaging protrusion 20 that engages with the recess 14 of the parking gear 12. The parking pole 16 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 18 fixed to the case 50. The parking pole 16 is rotated between a locked position (position shown in FIG. 2) where the engaging protrusion 20 of the parking pole 16 engages with the recess 14 and an unlocked position (position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3) where the engaging protrusion 20 is disengaged from the recess 14.

[0015] The parking pole 16, which is rotatably supported by the support shaft 18, is biased by a biasing member (such as a torsion spring) (not shown) attached to the support shaft 18 so that the engagement protrusion 20 moves toward the unlocked position.

[0016] The parking rod 30 has a longitudinal shape and is disposed on the opposite side to the side on which the parking gear 12 is disposed with respect to the parking pole 16. The parking rod 30 has a flexible rod body 32 and a pair of rollers 34 provided at the tip of the rod body 32.

[0017] The parking rod 30 is driven between a forward position at the tip end and a backward position at the base end by an actuator 40. The actuator 40 is, for example, constituted by a motor or the like. The actuator 40 drives the parking rod 30 by receiving an electric signal from a switch (not shown). The switch is provided, for example, near the handle or the center console.

[0018] 2, the forward position of the parking rod 30 is a position where the parking pole 16 is positioned at the lock position to restrict the rotation of the parking gear 12. In this forward position, one of the pair of rollers 34 abuts against the guide member 62, and the other abuts against the back surface 16a of the parking pole 16 on the opposite side to the engaging protrusion 20 in the state where the parking pole 16 is engaged with the recess 14.

[0019] 1, which allows the parking pole 16 to move to the unlocked position. In this position, the pair of rollers 34 of the parking rod 30 are located to the left of the guide member 62 and are not in contact with the back surface 16a of the parking pole 16 on the opposite side to the engaging protrusion 20.

[0020] The guide mechanism 60 can be operated to move the tip of the parking rod 30 in the forward position between a restricting position where the tip of the parking rod 30 in the forward position is guided to the side where the parking pole 16 is moved to the locked position and the parking gear 12 is maintained in a locked state, and an allowing position where the tip of the parking rod 30 in the forward position is not guided to the side where the parking pole 16 is moved to the locked position and the parking gear 12 is maintained in an unlocked state. The guide mechanism 60 is configured so that the guidance of the parking rod 30 can be changed from outside the case 50. The guide mechanism 60 includes a guide member 62, a rotating shaft 64, a bracket 66, and a release member 68.

[0021] The guide member 62 is supported at one end by a rotating shaft 64 so as to be rotatable in the same rotation direction as the parking pole 16, at a position where the pair of rollers 34 of the parking rod 30 are sandwiched between the parking pole 16 and the parking rod 30 from above and below. The rotating shaft 64 is attached to the case 50 via a bracket 66.

[0022] The guide member 62 can change its rotational posture between a guiding position (a normal position shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2) where it guides the tip of the parking rod 30 toward the parking pole 16 and a non-guiding position (a position shown in FIG. 3) where it does not guide the tip of the parking rod 30 toward the parking pole 16. This change in rotational posture is performed by rotation about a rotation shaft 64.

[0023] In the guiding position of the guide member 62, the release member 68 is advanced to the non-release position, whereby the guide surface 62a on the lower surface of the guide member 62 comes into contact with the rollers 34 to prevent the guide member 62 from rotating, and the pair of rollers 34 is clamped together with the back surface 16a of the parking pole 16, so that the rollers 34 of the parking rod 30 are held in the restricted position. The guide member 62 in this guiding position is in a position in which the parking lock is not released.

[0024] In the non-guiding position of the guide member 62, when the release member 68 is retreated to the release position, the guide member 62 rotates from the guiding position around the pivot shaft 64 as shown in FIG. 3, so that the guide surface 62a moves away from the roller 34 and releases the parking lock, so that the roller 34 is not pinched between the guide surface 62a on the underside of the guide member 62 and the back surface 16a of the parking pole 16, even when the parking rod 30 is at the tip position.

[0025] The release member 68 is screwed into the case 50 so that the center line of the release member 68 faces the back surface 62b opposite the guide surface 62a of the guide member 62, so that the release member 68 can be positioned at the guiding position of the guide member 62 by an advancement operation while penetrating the case 50, and can be retreated or removed from the case 50. When the release member 68 is attached to the case 50, an end of the release member 68 abuts against the rotating portion back surface 62b of the guide member 62 so as to prohibit the guide member 62 from rotating. The release member 68 is preferably constituted by a bolt, but may be constituted by a pin whose position can be changed by an advancement operation or a retreat operation relative to the case 50.

[0026] A specific example of the operation of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS.

[0027] 1 shows a state where the shift range is other than the P range, i.e., the parking gear is not locked. The roller 34 is in a position on the left side of the rear surface 16a of the parking pole 16 as viewed from the page, where it is not in contact with the rear surface 16a of the parking pole 16, i.e., in an allowable position of the parking rod 30, and the parking pole 16 is maintained in the unlocked position by the biasing force of a biasing member attached to the support shaft 18. Therefore, the parking gear 12 is in an unlocked state.

[0028] 2 shows a state in which the shift range is shifted to the P range from FIG. 1 and the parking lock is activated. When the parking lock is activated, the actuator 40 drives the parking rod 30 to the right in the drawing. The roller 34 is guided by the guide member 62 shown in FIG. and the back surface 16a of the parking pole 16, but since the guide member 62 is in the guide position and fixed by the release member 68 (the forward position of the parking rod 30), the parking pole 16 is pushed down and moved to the locked position. Therefore, the parking gear 12 is in the locked state, and the parking lock is performed.

[0029] 3 shows a state in which the release member 68 is operated to move backward and the parking lock is released when the actuator 40 cannot be driven due to, for example, a power failure or a malfunction of the actuator 40. By removing the release member 68 from the case 50, the rotation of the guide member 62 from the guiding position to the non-guiding position is permitted. As a result, even if the parking rod 30 remains in the forward position, the parking pole 16 pushes up the roller 34 by the biasing force of the biasing member attached to the support shaft 18, and moves from the locked position to the unlocked position. Therefore, the parking gear 12 is in an unlocked state and the parking lock is released.

[0030] 3, when the release member 68 is moved forward again, the release member 68 abuts against and presses down the back surface 62a of the guide member 62 in a vertically downward direction, causing the guide member 62 to rotate and return from the non-guiding position to the guiding position. As a result, the tip of the parking rod 30 is returned from the disengaged position to the restricted position, and the parking pole 16 is also moved from the unlocked position to the locked position via the roller 34. Therefore, the parking gear 12 is locked, and can be returned to the parking lock state of FIG. 2.

[0031] Thus, in the vehicle parking lock release mechanism 10 of this embodiment, by moving the release member 68 forward to the non-release position after it is attached to the case 50, the guide member 62 is placed in the guide position and the parking rod 30 is operated to the restricted position, and by moving the release member 68 backward from the case 50 to the release position, the guide member 62 is placed in the release position and the parking rod 30 is returned to the permitted position. In other words, the parking lock is released by removing the release member 68 from the case 50, and by attaching the release member 68 to the case 50, the parking lock can be easily restored to a state in which it can be locked.

[0032] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, these are merely one embodiment, and the present invention can be embodied in various modified and improved forms based on the knowledge of those skilled in the art. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 10: parking lock mechanism, 12: parking gear, 16: parking pole, 30: parking rod, 34: roller, 40: actuator, 50: case, 60: guide mechanism, 62: guide member, 64: rotating shaft, 68: release member

Claims

[Claim 1] Parking gear; a parking pole movable between a locked position where the parking gear is engaged with the parking gear to maintain the parking gear in a locked state and an unlocked position where the parking pole is disengaged from the parking gear to maintain the parking gear in an unlocked state; a parking rod movable between a forward position that restricts the parking pole to the locked position and a backward position that allows the parking pole to move to the unlocked position; an actuator capable of electrically driving the parking rod between the forward position and the reverse position; a case that accommodates the parking gear, the parking pole, the parking rod, and the actuator; a guide mechanism that guides the tip of the parking rod operated to the forward position toward a side where the parking pole moves toward the lock position, The guide mechanism is a release device for a parking lock mechanism having a guide member that guides the tip end of the parking rod in the case to a side where the parking pole is set to the locked position by pinching the tip end of the parking rod between the parking pole and the guide member, a rotation shaft fixed to the case and supporting one end of the guide member so that the guide member can be rotated between a guide position and a non-guiding position; a release member provided on the case and operable between a non-release position where the release member abuts against the guide member to fix the guide member to the guide position and a release position where the release member separates from the guide member to allow the guide member to rotate from the guide position to the non-guiding position and allows the parking pole to move toward the unlocked position even though the parking rod is in the forward position. A parking lock mechanism release device comprising:

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