Parking lock device

Abstract

This more reliably prevents the parking pole from contacting the parking gear while the vehicle is in motion. [Solution] A parking lock device comprising a movable member that moves between a first position and a second position according to the shift range, a parking gear, a parking pawl, and a regulating member. The parking pawl moves in conjunction with the movable member and is positioned in a non-engaging position where it does not engage with the parking gear when the movable member is in the first position, and in an engaged position where it engages with the parking gear when the movable member is in the second position. The regulating member moves in conjunction with the movable member and is positioned in a regulating position where it restricts the parking pawl from moving from the non-engaging position to the engaged position when the movable member is in the first position, and retracts from the regulating position when the movable member moves from the first position to the second position.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a parking lock device.

[0002] The parking lock device disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a parking gear and a parking pawl. The parking pawl moves between an engaged position where it engages with the parking gear and a non-engaged position where it does not engage with the parking gear. When the parking range is selected by the shift lever of the vehicle, the parking pawl moves to the engaged position, and the rotation of the parking gear is prohibited. During the running of the vehicle, a high acceleration may be applied to the parking pawl due to road surface input. When the parking pawl moves toward the parking gear during the running of the vehicle due to the application of such acceleration, the parking pawl contacts the rotating parking gear, generating abnormal noise. The parking lock device of Patent Document 1 detects the uneven state of the road surface by a sensor during the running of the vehicle, and when detecting the unevenness of the road surface, it operates a solenoid valve type actuator to restrict the movement of the parking pawl. Thereby, this parking lock device prevents the parking pawl from contacting the parking gear during the running of the vehicle.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the technology of Patent Document 1, when the uneven state of the road surface suddenly deteriorates, there is a possibility that the parking pawl contacts the parking gear during the time lag from the detection of the unevenness by the sensor to the operation of the solenoid valve type actuator. In this specification, a technology for more reliably preventing the parking pawl from contacting the parking gear during the running of the vehicle is proposed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] A parking lock device comprising a movable member that moves between a first position and a second position according to the shift range, a parking gear, a parking pawl, and a regulating member. The parking pawl moves in conjunction with the movable member and is positioned in a non-engaging position where it does not engage with the parking gear when the movable member is in the first position, and in an engaged position where it engages with the parking gear when the movable member is in the second position. The regulating member moves in conjunction with the movable member and is positioned in a regulating position where it restricts the parking pawl from moving from the non-engaging position to the engaged position when the movable member is in the first position, and retracts from the regulating position when the movable member moves from the first position to the second position.

[0006] In this parking lock device, when the movable member is in the first position, the parking pawl is positioned in a disengaged position where it does not engage with the parking gear, and the regulating member is positioned in the regulating position. Therefore, even if acceleration is applied to the parking pawl while the vehicle is in motion (i.e., when the parking pawl is in the disengaged position), the regulating member prevents the parking pawl from moving from the disengaged position to the engaged position. In this way, since the regulating member is positioned in the regulating position while the vehicle is in motion (i.e., when the parking pawl is in the disengaged position), contact between the parking pawl and the parking gear while the vehicle is in motion can be reliably prevented. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Perspective view of the parking lock device. [Figure 2] A diagram showing the arrangement of each component when the parking range is selected. [Figure 3] A diagram showing the arrangement of each component when the non-parking range is selected. [Figure 4] A partial perspective view of a modified parking lock device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] In one example of a parking lock device disclosed herein, when the movable member is in the first position, the parking pawl may come into contact with the regulating member when it moves from the disengaged position toward the parking gear.

[0009] In one example of a parking lock device disclosed herein, the restricting member may be fixed to the movable member.

[0010] With this configuration, the regulating member can move in conjunction with the movable member.

[0011] In one example of a parking lock device disclosed herein, the restricting member may be a rod that moves in conjunction with the movable member.

[0012] With this configuration, the regulating member can move in conjunction with the movable member.

[0013] An example of a parking lock device disclosed herein may include a spring that biases the parking pawl toward the disengaged position, and an actuator that moves the movable member between the first and second positions according to the shift range.

[0014] In this configuration, the parking pawl is positioned in the disengaged position by a spring biasing it toward the disengaged position. Since the regulating member restricts the movement of the parking pawl toward the engaged position, a spring with relatively weak biasing force can be used. Furthermore, when moving the movable member from the first position to the second position, the actuator moves the movable member against the force of the spring. Because a spring with weak biasing force can be used, an actuator with low output can be used. Therefore, the parking lock device can be made smaller.

[0015] The parking lock device 10 of Embodiment 1 shown in Figure 1 is mounted on a vehicle. The parking lock device 10 locks the vehicle's drive shaft (i.e., the rotating shaft that transmits power to the wheels) according to the shift range. The parking lock device 10 includes an actuator 20, a rotating member 30, a sliding member 40, a guide member 50, a parking pawl 60, and a parking gear 70. In Figure 1, for illustrative purposes, the distance between the rotating member 30 and the sliding member 40 and the parking pawl 60 is shown to be wider than it actually is. As will be described later, in reality, the parking pawl 60 is positioned close to the rotating member 30 and the sliding member 40.

[0016] The actuator 20 has a main body 22, a connector section 24, and an output shaft 26. The main body 22 is fixed to the vehicle housing. The connector section 24 is provided on the upper surface of the main body 22. The vehicle's shift change device 90 is electrically connected to the connector section 24. The shift change device 90 is a shift lever, shift switch, etc., and is a device for the user to select a shift range. The shift change device 90 inputs a signal to the actuator 20 indicating the selected shift range. The output shaft 26 protrudes from the side of the main body 22. The actuator 20 rotates the output shaft 26 within a predetermined angular range depending on whether the parking range is selected or another range (hereinafter referred to as a non-parking range) is selected. Hereinafter, the vertical direction will be referred to as the z direction, the direction parallel to the central axis of the output shaft 26 in the horizontal plane will be referred to as the x direction, and the direction perpendicular to the x direction in the horizontal plane will be referred to as the y direction.

[0017] The rotating member 30 is fixed to the output shaft 26 of the actuator 20. The rotating member 30 rotates together with the output shaft 26 around the x-axis. The rotating member 30 is provided with a through hole 34 that penetrates the rotating member 30 in the x-direction. The rotating member 30 has a projection 32 that protrudes upward. The tip of the projection 32 is bent in an L-shape.

[0018] The slide member 40 has a shaft portion 42 that extends long in the z direction and a cam portion 44 fixed to the lower end of the shaft portion 42. The cam portion 44 has a small diameter portion 44a and a large diameter portion 44b. The diameter of the large diameter portion 44b is larger than the diameter of the small diameter portion 44a. The large diameter portion 44b is located above the small diameter portion 44a. Between the small diameter portion 44a and the large diameter portion 44b, the diameter of the cam portion 44 gradually increases from the small diameter portion 44a to the large diameter portion 44b. The upper end portion 46 of the shaft portion 42 is bent parallel to the x direction and inserted into the through hole 34 of the rotating member 30. Therefore, the slide member 40 can swing relative to the rotating member 30 around the upper end portion 46. A guide member 50 is arranged around the slide member 40. The guide member 50 is fixed to the vehicle housing. The guide member 50 restricts the movement of the slide member 40 in the x and y directions, while allowing the slide member 40 to move in the z direction. Therefore, when the rotating member 30 rotates, the slide member 40 slides up and down.

[0019] The parking pole 60 has a shape that is elongated in the z direction. The parking pole 60 is positioned adjacent to the rotating member 30 and the sliding member 40 in the x direction. That is, the rotating member 30 and the sliding member 40 are positioned between the parking pole 60 and the actuator 20. As shown in Figures 2(a) and 3(a), the parking pole 60 is positioned close to the sliding member 40 and the rotating member 30 such that a contact portion 61 provided at its lower end contacts the side surface of the cam portion 44. A protrusion 63 projecting in the x direction is provided on the side surface of the parking pole 60 opposite to the sliding member 40. As shown in Figure 1, a projection 62 projecting toward the actuator 20 along the x direction is provided at the upper end of the parking pole 60. The parking pole 60 is provided with a through hole 64 extending along the y direction. A shaft 65 is inserted through the through hole 64. The shaft 65 is fixed to the vehicle housing. The parking pole 60 can swing about the y axis around the shaft 65. A torsion spring 66 is provided on the shaft 65. The torsion spring 66 applies torque to the parking pawl 60 in the direction that the contact portion 61 of the slide member 40 faces the cam portion 44. As shown in Figures 2(a) and 3(a), when the cam portion 44 of the slide member 40 moves up and down, the position in which the parking pawl 60 contacts the cam portion 44 changes between the small diameter portion 44a and the large diameter portion 44b. Therefore, as the slide member 40 moves up and down, the parking pawl 60 moves (oscillates) between the position in Figure 2(a) and the position in Figure 3(a).

[0020] The parking gear 70 has a disc shape and is fixed to the vehicle's drive shaft, which extends along the y-axis. Therefore, the parking gear 70 rotates with the drive shaft around the y-axis. The parking gear 70 is positioned adjacent to the parking pawl 60 in the x-direction. That is, the parking pawl 60 is positioned between the sliding member 40 and the parking gear 70. Multiple gear teeth 72 are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the parking gear 70. When the parking pawl 60 is positioned as shown in Figure 2(a), the protrusion 63 of the parking pawl 60 engages with the gear teeth 72 of the parking gear 70, preventing the parking gear 70 from rotating. When the parking pawl 60 is positioned as shown in Figure 3(a), the protrusion 63 of the parking pawl 60 becomes non-contact with the parking gear 70, allowing the parking gear 70 to rotate. Specifically, Figure 2(a) shows the engaged position of the parking pole 60, and Figure 2(b) shows the disengaged position of the parking pole 60.

[0021] Next, the operation of the parking lock device 10 will be described. As described above, the actuator 20 rotates the output shaft 26 within a predetermined angular range according to whether the parking range is selected by the shift change device 90. The actuator 20 rotates the rotating member 30 by rotating the output shaft 26. The actuator 20 rotates the rotating member 30 between the position shown in FIG. 2(b) and the position shown in FIG. 3(b). When the parking range is selected, the actuator 20 arranges the rotating member 30 at the position shown in FIG. 2(b), and when the non-parking range is selected, the actuator 20 arranges the rotating member 30 at the position shown in FIG. 3(b). Further, the slide member 40 connected to the rotating member 30 moves up and down between the position shown in FIG. 2(a) and the position shown in FIG. 3(a) as the rotating member 30 moves. When the parking range is selected (that is, when the rotating member 30 is at the position shown in FIG. 2(b)), the slide member 40 is arranged at the position shown in FIG. 2(a), and when the non-parking range is selected (that is, when the rotating member 30 is at the position shown in FIG. 3(b)), the slide member 40 is arranged at the position shown in FIG. 3(a). Thus, the slide member 40 moves up and down according to the shift range. When the slide member 40 moves upward from the position shown in FIG. 3(a), as shown in FIG. 2(a), the contact portion 61 is pushed in the y direction by the large-diameter portion 44b, so the parking pole 60 rotates and the convex portion 63 moves toward the parking gear 70. Then, the convex portion 63 engages with the gear teeth 72 of the parking gear 70, and the rotation of the parking gear 70 is prohibited. When the slide member 40 moves downward from the position shown in FIG. 2(a), the parking pole 60 rotates so that the contact portion 61 contacts the small-diameter portion 44a as shown in FIG. 3(a) by the biasing force of the torsion spring, so the convex portion 63 of the parking pole 60 moves in a direction away from the parking gear 70. Then, the convex portion 63 becomes non-contact with the parking gear 70, and the rotation of the parking gear 70 is allowed. Thus, the parking lock device 10 prohibits the rotation of the parking gear when the parking range is selected, and allows the rotation of the parking gear when the non-parking range is selected.

[0022] Furthermore, the relative positions of the protrusion 62 of the parking pole 60 and the protrusion 32 of the rotating member 30 change according to the shift range. As shown in Figures 2(b) and 3(b), the protrusion 32 of the rotating member 30 moves in the y direction according to the rotation of the rotating member 30. Also, as shown in Figures 2(b) and 3(b), the protrusion 62 of the parking pole 60 moves in the z direction according to the rotation of the parking pole 60. As shown in Figure 3(b), when the non-parking range is selected, the protrusion 62 of the parking pole 60 is positioned above, and the protrusion 32 of the rotating member 30 is positioned below the protrusion 62. The position of the protrusion 32 shown in Figure 3(b) is a restricting position that restricts the downward movement of the protrusion 62. When switching from the non-parking range to the parking range, as shown in Figure 2(b), the protrusion 32 moves in the x direction to retract from below the protrusion 62 (i.e., the restricting position), and the protrusion 62 moves downward. When the shift range is switched from parking to non-parking, as shown in Figure 3(b), the protrusion 62 moves upward, and the protrusion 32 moves in the x-direction and enters the lower part of the protrusion 62 (i.e., the restricted position). In this way, when changing the shift range, the protrusions 32 and 62 move without interfering with each other.

[0023] During the running of the vehicle, since the non - parking range is selected, each member is arranged at the position shown in Fig. 3. Due to the unevenness of the road surface on which the vehicle runs, a high acceleration may be applied to the parking pole 60. When a high acceleration is applied to the parking pole 60 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the torsion spring 66 biases, the parking pole 60 rotates in the direction approaching the parking gear 70. As a result, when the convex portion 63 of the parking pole 60 contacts the rotating parking gear 70, problems such as abnormal noise generation or wear of the convex portion 63 and the parking gear 70 occur. However, in this embodiment, when the parking pole 60 moves toward the parking gear 70 in a state where the non - parking range is selected (that is, the state shown in Fig. 3(b)), the protruding portion 62 abuts against the protruding portion 32 of the rotating member 30. Therefore, the protruding portion 62 cannot move to the position where the convex portion 63 engages with the parking gear 70 (that is, the position of the broken line in Fig. 3(b)). Thereby, it is prevented that the parking pole 60 contacts the parking gear 70 during the running of the vehicle. When the non - parking range is selected, since the protruding portion 32 is always arranged at the position shown in Fig. 3(b) (that is, the restricting position), it is possible to surely prevent the parking pole 60 from contacting the parking gear 70.

[0024] Also, when the protruding portion 32 does not exist, it is necessary to prevent the parking pole 60 from contacting the parking gear 70 by the biasing force of the torsion spring 66. On the contrary, in this embodiment, since the protruding portion 32 exists, the biasing force of the torsion spring 66 can be weakened. Therefore, the actuator 20 can rotate the output shaft 26 with a weak torque. For this reason, a type of actuator 20 with a small output torque can be used, and the actuator 20 can be miniaturized. Thereby, the parking lock device 10 can be miniaturized.

[0025] The rotating member 30 and sliding member 40 in this embodiment are examples of movable members that move between a first position and a second position according to the shift range. The positions of the rotating member 30 and sliding member 40 in Figure 3 are an example of the first position. The positions of the rotating member 30 and sliding member 40 in Figure 2 are an example of the second position.

[0026] In the above-described embodiment, the protruding portion 32, which is integrated with the rotating member 30, functioned as a restricting member to prevent the parking pawl 60 from contacting the parking gear 70. However, a restricting rod 80, as shown in Figure 4, may also be provided as a restricting member. The restricting rod 80 is provided as a separate member from the rotating member 30. The restricting rod 80 extends long in the y direction and moves along the y direction in accordance with the rotation of the rotating member 30. Also, in Figure 4, a hole 69 extending along the y direction is provided in the parking pawl 60. When a parking range is selected, the restricting rod 80 is positioned in a non-contact position with respect to the parking pawl 60. When a non-parking range is selected, the restricting rod 80 is inserted into the hole 69 while the parking pawl 60 is in the disengaged position. This prevents the parking pawl 60 from moving from the disengaged position to the engaged position while the vehicle is in motion.

[0027] Although embodiments have been described in detail above, these are merely illustrative and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technologies described in the claims include various modifications and changes to the specific examples illustrated above. The technical elements described in this specification or drawings exhibit technical usefulness individually or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. Furthermore, the technologies illustrated in this specification or drawings achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving even one of these objectives constitutes technical usefulness. [Explanation of symbols]

[0028] 10: Parking lock device, 20: Actuator, 30: Rotating member, 40: Sliding member, 60: Parking pawl, 66: Torsion spring, 70: Parking gear

Claims

1. A parking lock device, A movable member that moves between a first position and a second position according to the shift range, Parking gear and, A parking pawl that moves in conjunction with the movable member, is positioned in a non-engaged position where it does not engage with the parking gear when the movable member is in the first position, and is positioned in an engaged position where it engages with the parking gear when the movable member is in the second position, A restricting member that moves in conjunction with the movable member, is positioned in a restricting position that restricts the movement of the parking pole from the disengaged position to the engaged position when the movable member is in the first position, and retracts from the restricting position when the movable member moves from the first position to the second position, A parking lock device having [a specific feature].

2. The parking lock device according to claim 1, wherein when the parking pawl moves from the disengaged position toward the parking gear while the movable member is in the first position, the parking pawl comes into contact with the regulating member.

3. The parking lock device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the restricting member is fixed to the movable member.

4. The parking lock device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the restricting member is a rod that moves in conjunction with the movable member.

5. A spring that biases the parking pole toward the disengaged position, An actuator that moves the movable member between the first position and the second position according to the shift range, A parking lock device according to claim 1 or 2, having the following:

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