Parking mechanism and method for assembling the parking mechanism

Abstract

To provide a parking mechanism capable of being miniaturized.SOLUTION: A parking mechanism includes: an actuator 70 having a manual shaft 71 extending along a first axis J1 and rotating around the first axis; a flange 90 disposed on an outer periphery of the manual shaft and extending along a radial direction of the first axis; a cam rod 30 having a connection portion 30a connected to the flange, and extending along a second axis J2 orthogonal to the first axis to move along the second axis with the movement of the flange; a coil spring 39; a cam 35 moving along the second axis through the coil spring; a ratchet member 20 having an engagement portion 25 and operated with the movement of the cam; and a parking gear 10 having a tooth portion engaged with the engagement portion. A self-holding torque of the actuator is determined to be larger than torque applied to the manual shaft in maximum compression of the coil spring, so that a plate spring for determining a rotation position of a conventional manual shaft is eliminated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a parking mechanism and an assembling method of the parking mechanism.

Background Art

[0002] [[ID=!2]]A parking mechanism is mounted on a driving device that drives a vehicle. Patent Document 1 discloses a parking lock device (corresponding to a parking mechanism) that operates a control cam by a driving device and meshes a locking claw of a lock pole with a parking gear.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] [[ID=3!]]In a conventional parking mechanism, in order to suppress the rotation of a manual shaft (driving shaft) of an actuator due to a reaction force from the cam side, a leaf spring for determining the rotational position of the manual shaft is provided. For this reason, the conventional parking mechanism has a problem that the number of parts increases and the device becomes larger.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a parking mechanism that can achieve miniaturization.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] One embodiment of the parking mechanism of the present invention includes an actuator having a manual shaft extending along a first axis and rotating about the first axis; a flange provided on the outer circumference of the manual shaft and extending radially along the first axis; a connecting portion connected to the flange; and a cam rod having a rod body extending along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and moving along the second axis in accordance with the movement of the flange; a coil spring attached to the rod body; a cam attached to the rod body and moving along the second axis as the movement of the rod body is transmitted via the coil spring; a stopper member having a meshing portion and operating in conjunction with the movement of the cam; and a parking gear having teeth that mesh with the meshing portion. A virtual perpendicular line is set from the first axis to the second axis when viewed from the axial direction of the first axis. The connecting portion moves about the first axis within a range of ±45° with respect to the perpendicular line. The spring constant of the coil spring is k. The maximum compression amount of the coil spring in the movable range of the rod body is Xb. Let R be the distance between the first axis and the connecting portion when viewed from the axial direction of the first axis. Let θ be the angle between the perpendicular and the connecting portion when viewed from the axial direction of the first axis. Let Ts be the self-holding torque of the actuator, and the following equation 1 holds.

[0007]

number

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, a parking mechanism that can be miniaturized can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram schematically showing a drive device according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a parking mechanism according to one embodiment. [Figure 3]Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along the longitudinal direction of the cam rod of the drive unit in one embodiment, showing the unlocked state. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the drive unit of one embodiment along the longitudinal direction of the cam rod, showing the locked state. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the drive unit of one embodiment, along the longitudinal direction of the cam rod, showing the standby state. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a front view of a parking pole and parking gear according to one embodiment, showing the standby state. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a side view of a part of the parking mechanism of one embodiment, viewed from the axial direction of the first axis. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a side view illustrating the flange fixing process, cam rod connection process, and sleeve mounting process of an assembly method for a parking mechanism according to one embodiment. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a perspective view showing an example of a tool connection part that can be used in one embodiment. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a perspective view showing an example of a tool connection that can be used in one embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] In the following description, the vertical direction will be defined and explained based on the positional relationship when the drive unit 1 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle (not shown) located on a horizontal road surface. In the drawings, the XYZ coordinate system will be shown as a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system as appropriate.

[0011] In each figure, the Z-axis direction is the vertical direction. The +Z side is the upper side in the vertical direction, and the -Z side is the lower side in the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the upper side in the vertical direction is simply referred to as the "upper side", and the lower side in the vertical direction is simply referred to as the "lower side". The X-axis direction is a direction orthogonal to the Z-axis direction and is the longitudinal direction of the vehicle on which the driving device 1 is mounted. In this embodiment, the +X side is the front side of the vehicle, and the -X side is the rear side of the vehicle. The Y-axis direction is a direction orthogonal to both the X-axis direction and the Z-axis direction and is the lateral direction of the vehicle, that is, the vehicle width direction. In this embodiment, the +Y side is the left side of the vehicle, and the -Y side is the right side of the vehicle. The Y-axis direction corresponds to the axial direction of the third axis line J3 described later. The longitudinal direction and the lateral direction of the vehicle are horizontal directions orthogonal to the vertical direction. In this embodiment, the +Y side corresponds to one side in the axial direction, and the -Y side corresponds to the other side in the axial direction. The third axis line J3 appropriately shown in each figure extends in the Y-axis direction, that is, the lateral direction of the vehicle.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram schematically showing the driving device 1. The driving device 1 of this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle using a motor as a power source, such as a hybrid vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV), or an electric vehicle (EV), and is used as its power source.

[0013] The driving device 1 includes a motor (power unit) 2, a gear unit (transmission mechanism) 3 including a speed reduction device 4 and a differential device 5, a parking mechanism 8, and a housing 6. The drive motor 2 drives the vehicle. The gear unit 3 is connected to the drive motor 2. The parking mechanism 8 is attached to the gear unit 3.

[0014] The housing 6 has a motor housing portion 61 that houses the drive motor 2, a gear housing portion 62 that houses the gear unit 3 and the parking mechanism 8, and a partition wall 61c provided between the motor housing portion 61 and the gear housing portion 62.

[0015] The drive motor 2 rotates about a third axis J3 extending along a horizontal plane. The drive motor 2 includes a rotor 2a and a stator 2c. In the present embodiment, the drive motor 2 is an inner rotor type motor. Therefore, the stator 2c surrounds the outside in the radial direction of the rotor 2a.

[0016] The rotor 2a rotates about a third axis J3 extending in the horizontal direction. The rotor 2a has a motor shaft 2b extending along the axial direction about the third axis J3.

[0017] The motor shaft 2b rotates about the third axis J3. The motor shaft 2b extends across the motor housing portion 61 and the gear housing portion 62 of the housing 6. The left end of the motor shaft 2b projects into the gear housing portion 62. A first gear 41 of the gear portion 3 is fixed to the left end of the motor shaft 2b.

[0018] The gear portion 3 is housed in the gear housing portion 62 of the housing 6. The gear portion 3 is connected to the drive motor 2. More specifically, the gear portion 3 is connected on one axial side of the motor shaft 2b. The gear portion 3 transmits the power of the drive motor 2. The gear portion 3 has a speed reduction device 4 and a differential device 5.

[0019] The speed reduction device 4 is connected to the drive motor 2. The speed reduction device 4 reduces the rotational speed of the drive motor 2 and increases the torque output from the drive motor 2 according to the reduction ratio. The speed reduction device 4 transmits the torque output from the drive motor 2 to the differential device 5. The speed reduction device 4 has a first gear 41, a second gear 42, a third gear 43, and an intermediate shaft 45. That is, the gear portion 3 has a first gear 41, a second gear 42, a third gear 43, and an intermediate shaft 45.

[0020] The first gear 41 is fixed to the left end of the motor shaft 2b. The first gear 41 rotates together with the motor shaft 2b around the third axis J3. The intermediate shaft 45 extends along the fifth axis J5, which is parallel to the third axis J3. The intermediate shaft 45 rotates about the fifth axis J5. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 are fixed to the outer surface of the intermediate shaft 45, spaced apart from each other in the axial direction. The second gear 42 and the third gear 43 are connected to each other via the intermediate shaft 45. The second gear 42 meshes with the first gear 41. The second gear 42 rotates around the fifth axis J5. The third gear 43 rotates together with the second gear 42 around the fifth axis J5. The third gear 43 meshes with the ring gear (fourth gear) 51 of the differential 5.

[0021] The torque output from the drive motor 2 is transmitted to the ring gear 51 of the differential gear 5 via the motor shaft 2b, the first gear 41, the second gear 42, the intermediate shaft 45, and the third gear 43 in that order. The gear ratios and number of gears of the reduction gear 4 can be changed as appropriate according to the required reduction ratio. In this embodiment, the reduction gear 4 is a parallel-axis gear type reduction gear in which the axes of each gear are arranged in parallel.

[0022] The differential gear 5 is connected to the drive motor 2 via the reduction gear 4. The differential gear 5 is a device for transmitting the torque output from the drive motor 2 to the wheels of the vehicle. When the vehicle turns, the differential gear 5 absorbs the speed difference between the left and right wheels and transmits the same torque to the axles 55 of both the left and right wheels. The differential gear 5 has a ring gear 51, a gear housing (not shown), a pair of pinion gears (not shown), a pinion shaft (not shown), and a pair of side gears (not shown). That is, the gear section 3 has a ring gear 51. The ring gear 51 meshes with the third gear 43 and rotates around the sixth axis J6 which is parallel to the third axis J3.

[0023] Furthermore, the axle 55 extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction of travel of the vehicle (i.e., in the width direction of the vehicle). Therefore, the direction of travel of the vehicle with the drive unit 1 installed can be estimated by the direction in which the axle 55 extends.

[0024] The parking mechanism 8 is provided on the gear section 3 and restricts the driving of the gear section 3. The parking mechanism 8 is driven by the actuator 70. The parking mechanism 8 is switched by the actuator 70, which is the power source, between a locked state in which the rotation of the motor shaft 2b is prevented and an unlocked state in which the rotation of the motor shaft 2b is permitted. The parking mechanism 8 is in the locked state when the vehicle's gear is in parking, and in the unlocked state when the vehicle's gear is not in parking. When the vehicle's gear is not in parking, for example, this includes when the vehicle's gear is in drive, neutral, reverse, etc.

[0025] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the parking mechanism 8. The parking mechanism 8 includes a parking gear 10, a pole shaft 29, a parking pole (chock member) 20, a cam rod 30, a cam 35, a coil spring 39, a sleeve 80, a flange 90, and an actuator 70.

[0026] The parking gear 10 is fixed to the outer surface of the motor shaft 2b. The parking gear 10 is positioned in the axial direction between the first gear 41 and the bulkhead 61c.

[0027] The parking gear 10 in this embodiment is annular in shape centered on the third axis J3 and is fitted to the outer circumferential surface of the motor shaft 2b. The parking gear 10 rotates together with the motor shaft 2b. That is, the parking gear 10 rotates around the third axis J3 together with the first gear 41 in conjunction with the vehicle's wheels. The outer circumference of the parking gear 10 is provided with a plurality of teeth 11 arranged along the circumferential direction. The teeth 11 protrude radially outward from the third axis J3. In the locked state, which will be described later, the teeth 11 mesh with the meshing portion 25.

[0028] The pole shaft 29 extends along a fourth axis J4 parallel to the third axis J3. That is, the pole shaft 29 is a shaft parallel to the motor shaft 2b. The pole shaft 29 rotatably supports the parking pole 20.

[0029] A coil spring 29a is attached to the pole shaft 29. The coil spring 29a has a coil-shaped spring body and spring ends extending from both ends of the spring body. Spring body A pole shaft 29 is inserted into it. One end of the coil spring 29a is hooked onto a spring attachment portion (not shown) provided on the inner surface of the housing 6. The other end of the coil spring 29a is hooked onto a spring attachment hole 20h provided on the parking pole 20. The coil spring 29a applies an elastic force to the parking pole 20 in a direction that retracts its tip toward the sleeve 80.

[0030] The parking pawl 20 is positioned on the side of the parking gear 10. The parking pawl 20 has a base end portion 22, a parking pawl body portion 21 extending diagonally downward from the base end portion 22, a cam contact portion 23, and a meshing portion 25.

[0031] The parking pawl body 21 is positioned between the parking gear 10 and the sleeve 80 when viewed from the axial direction of the third axis J3. The parking pawl body 21 has a gear-facing surface 21a facing the parking gear 10 and a sleeve-facing surface 21b facing the sleeve 80. In this embodiment, the meshing portion 25 is located on the gear-facing surface 21a, and the cam contact portion 23 is located on the sleeve-facing surface 21b. The cam contact portion 23 is located at the tip of the parking pawl 20. The meshing portion 25 is located between the base end portion 22 and the cam contact portion 23 in the longitudinal direction of the parking pawl 20.

[0032] A support hole 22h is provided at the base end 22 of the parking pole 20, centered on the fourth axis J4. A pole shaft 29 is inserted into the support hole 22h. As a result, the parking pole 20 is supported by the pole shaft 29 at the base end 22 and can rotate around the fourth axis J4 by the pole shaft 29.

[0033] The meshing portion 25 protrudes from the gear-facing surface 21a of the parking pawl body 21 toward the parking gear 10. The meshing portion 25 faces the teeth 11 of the parking gear 10. As the parking pawl 20 rotates around the pawl shaft 29, the meshing portion 25 moves toward and away from the parking gear 10.

[0034] The parking pole 20 can be in one of three states: locked, unlocked, or standby. The locked and unlocked states can be transitioned between in response to the operator's actions. The standby state appears when the operator transitions from the unlocked state to the locked state, during the transition process.

[0035] The locked state is a state in which the meshing portion 25 engages with the parking gear 10, thereby preventing the rotation of the parking gear 10. In the locked parking mechanism 8, the meshing portion 25 fits between the teeth 11 of the parking gear 10.

[0036] The unlocked state is a state in which the meshing portion 25 is separated from the parking gear 10, releasing the lock and allowing the parking gear 10 to rotate. In the unlocked state of the parking mechanism 8, the meshing portion 25 retracts from between the teeth 11 to the radially outward side of the third axis J3.

[0037] As shown in Figure 6, the standby state is a state in which the meshing portion 25 is pressed against the teeth 11 of the parking gear 10 and waits to enter the locked state. In the standby state, when the parking gear 10 rotates and the gap in the teeth 11 aligns with the meshing portion 25, the meshing portion 25 engages with the teeth 11 and transitions to the locked state.

[0038] The cam contact portion 23 is positioned on the sleeve-facing surface 21b of the parking pole body portion 21. The cam contact portion 23 is located inside the notch 83 of the sleeve 80. The cam contact portion 23 functions as an actuating part that receives force from the cam 35. The parking pole 20 rotates around the fourth axis J4 by receiving force from the cam 35 at the cam contact portion 23. In other words, the parking pole 20 operates in conjunction with the movement of the cam 35.

[0039] Figures 3 to 5 are cross-sectional views along the length of the cam rod 30, with Figure 3 showing the unlocked state, Figure 4 showing the locked state, and Figure 5 showing the standby state. Figure 6 is a front view of the parking pole 20 and parking gear 10 of this embodiment, showing the standby state.

[0040] The cam contact portion 23 of the parking pole 20 faces the outer circumferential surface of the cam 35. In the unlocked state shown in Figure 3, the cam contact portion 23 is separated from the outer circumferential surface of the cam 35. In the locked state shown in Figure 4 and the standby state shown in Figure 5, the cam contact portion 23 is in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the cam 35. As the system transitions from the unlocked state to the locked state, the cam contact portion 23 moves in accordance with the operation of the cam 35. The parking pole 20 rotates around the fourth axis J4 as the cam contact portion 23 moves.

[0041] As shown in Figure 2, the actuator 70 extending along the first axis J1 includes a motor 79, a worm gear 73, a counter gear section 74, an output gear section 75, a manual shaft 71, a case 72, and a rotation sensor 76. In this embodiment, the power of the motor 79 is transmitted in the order of the worm gear 73, the counter gear section 74, the output gear section 75, and the manual shaft 71.

[0042] The motor 79 has a rotating shaft 79a that extends along a seventh axis (axis) J7 perpendicular to the first axis J1. The rotating shaft 79a rotates around the seventh axis J7. The motor 79 is feedback controlled by a control unit (not shown) based on measurements taken by a rotation sensor 76.

[0043] The worm gear 73 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 79a. The worm gear 73 is provided integrally with the rotating shaft 79a. However, the worm gear 73 may be a separate component fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the rotating shaft 79a.

[0044] The counter gear section 74 includes a worm wheel 74a, a small-diameter gear 74b, and a shaft section 74c. The counter gear section 74 is a gear member centered on an eighth axis (axis) J8 parallel to the first axis J1. The eighth axis J8 is perpendicular to the seventh axis J7. The worm wheel 74a, the small-diameter gear 74b, and the shaft section 74c may be parts of a single component or separate components fixed to each other.

[0045] The shaft portion 74c of the counter gear section 74 extends along the eighth axis J8. The worm wheel 74a is a helical gear centered on the eighth axis J8. The worm wheel 74a meshes with the worm gear 73 and rotates around the eighth axis J8. The small-diameter gear 74b is a gear with a smaller diameter than the worm gear 73. The small-diameter gear 74b is a spur gear centered on the eighth axis J8. The small-diameter gear 74b rotates around the eighth axis J8 together with the worm wheel 74a.

[0046] The output gear section 75 is fixed to the outer circumference of the manual shaft 71 and rotates around the first axis J1 in mesh with the small-diameter gear 74b. The output gear section 75 has a fan-shaped gear 75a and a fixed cylindrical section 75b. The fan-shaped gear 75a is a fan-shaped spur gear centered on the first axis J1. The output gear section 75 meshes with the small-diameter gear 74b in the fan-shaped gear 75a. The fixed cylindrical section 75b is cylindrical centered on the first axis J1. The manual shaft 71 is inserted into the fixed cylindrical section 75b and fixed to the manual shaft 71.

[0047] Case 72 houses the motor 79, worm gear 73, counter gear section 74, and output gear section 75. Case 72 also houses the base end portion of the manual shaft 71. The manual shaft 71 extends through the inside and outside of case 72. Case 72 is located outside the housing 6 (see Figure 1).

[0048] The case 72 has an opposing wall portion 72a that faces the tip 79b of the rotating shaft 79a. An opening 72w is provided in the opposing wall portion 72a. That is, the case 72 has an opening 72w. The opening 72w penetrates the opposing wall portion 72a in the thickness direction. The opening 72w exposes the tip 79b of the rotating shaft 79a to the outside of the case 72. A cover portion (not shown) is attached to the case 72 to cover the opening 72w.

[0049] According to this embodiment, by opening the opening 72w of the case 72, an operator can access the tip 79b of the rotating shaft 79a without disassembling the case 72. This allows the tip 79b of the rotating shaft 79a to be rotated, driving the manual shaft 71 via the gears. The structure of the tip 79b for rotating the rotating shaft 79a will be described later with reference to Figures 9 and 10.

[0050] The manual shaft 71 is cylindrical with the first axis J1 as its center. The manual shaft 71 rotates around the first axis J1 together with the output gear section 75. In other words, the manual shaft 71 rotates around the first axis J1 by the power of the motor 79.

[0051] The manual shaft 71 extends both inside and outside the housing 6 (see Figure 1). Inside the housing 6, the manual shaft 71 is connected to the flange 90, and outside the housing 6, it is inserted into the case 72 and connected to the output gear section 75.

[0052] As shown in Figure 2, the manual shaft 71 and the pole shaft 29 in this embodiment extend perpendicularly to each other. That is, the pole shaft 29 extends along the fourth axis J4 which is perpendicular to the first axis J1. According to this embodiment, compared to the case where the manual shaft 71 and the pole shaft 29 extend parallel to each other, it becomes possible to arrange the shafts three-dimensionally, and the parking mechanism 8 as a whole can be made smaller.

[0053] The pawl shaft 29 is positioned to the side of the parking gear 10 and parallel to the axis of rotation of the parking gear 10. Thus, the parking pawl 20 extends in the lateral direction of the vehicle, and the manual shaft 71 extends in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0054] According to this embodiment, the manual shaft 71 and the pole shaft 29 extend perpendicularly to each other, allowing the direction in which the manual shaft 71 extends to be the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. As a result, the driving direction of the flange 90 and cam rod 30 driven by the manual shaft 71 becomes the lateral direction of the vehicle. According to this embodiment, the inertial force associated with the rapid acceleration and sudden deceleration of the vehicle can be suppressed from affecting the operation of the flange 90 and cam rod 30.

[0055] In this embodiment, the manual shaft 71 is positioned below the pole shaft 29. Therefore, the area below the pole shaft 29 can be effectively utilized as the area through which the manual shaft 71 passes, and the parking mechanism 8 can be miniaturized.

[0056] The rotation sensor 76 is attached to the output gear section 75. The rotation sensor 76 measures the rotation angle of the output gear section 75 and the manual shaft 71. The rotation sensor 76 is connected to a control unit (not shown) that controls the motor 79.

[0057] In this embodiment, a worm gear 73 and a worm wheel 74a are arranged in the power transmission path of the actuator 70. This increases the self-holding torque of the actuator 70. Here, self-holding torque is the maximum torque that can suppress the rotation of the internal mechanism in response to the torque input from the output side. In the actuator 70 of this embodiment, the self-holding torque is the torque around the first axis J1 input to the manual shaft 71, and is the torque at which the manual shaft 71 begins to rotate.

[0058] In a power transmission path having a worm gear 73 and a worm wheel 74a, the power transmission loss from the output side to the input side is greater than the power transmission loss from the input side to the output side. Therefore, the actuator 70 can increase its self-holding torque by having a worm gear 73 and a worm wheel 74a. In other words, according to this embodiment, the self-holding torque of the actuator 70 can be increased with a simple structure. As will be described in detail later, the actuator 70 has a sufficiently large self-holding torque so that it can maintain the rotation angle of the manual shaft 71 even when a large force is applied from the cam rod 30.

[0059] In this embodiment, an actuator 70 having a worm gear 73 and a worm wheel 74a is described, but the actuator 70 is not limited to this embodiment. Even if the actuator 70 does not have a worm gear 73 and a worm wheel 74a, the same effect can be obtained if the actuator 70 has sufficient self-holding torque. Specifically, sufficient self-holding torque can be obtained if the reduction ratio of the power transmission path from the rotating shaft 79a to the manual shaft 71 is 1:100 or more. This reduction ratio is also satisfied by the actuator 70 in this embodiment.

[0060] The flange 90 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the manual shaft 71. In this embodiment, the flange 90 is a separate component from the manual shaft 71 and is fixed to the outer circumferential surface of the manual shaft 71. However, the flange 90 may also be part of the manual shaft 71.

[0061] The flange 90 extends radially along the first axis J1. The flange 90 rotates around the first axis J1 together with the manual shaft 71. The flange 90 of this embodiment has a flange body 91 that extends radially along the first axis J1, and a projection 92 provided at the tip of the flange body 91. The projection 92 protrudes from the flange body 91 along the axial direction of the first axis J1.

[0062] The flange body 91 is plate-shaped and perpendicular to the first axis J1. The flange body 91 is provided with a connecting hole 91h that penetrates in the thickness direction. The connecting portion 30a of the cam rod 30 passes through the connecting hole 91h. The connecting portion 30a of the cam rod 30 is rotatable about the connecting hole 91h.

[0063] The cam rod 30 has a connecting portion 30a, a relay portion 30b, and a rod body 30c. In the cam rod 30, a first bent portion 31 is provided between the connecting portion 30a and the relay portion 30b, and a second bent portion 32 is provided between the relay portion 30b and the rod body 30c. The cam rod 30 is bent at approximately 90° at the first bent portion 31 and the second bent portion 32. The cam rod 30 is a rod shape with a circular cross-section after being bent at the first bent portion 31 and the second bent portion 32.

[0064] The connecting portion 30a extends axially along the axial direction of the first axis J1. Therefore, the connecting portion 30a extends parallel to the manual shaft 71. The connecting portion 30a is inserted into the connecting hole 91h of the flange 90. In this way, the connecting portion 30a is connected to the flange 90 so as to be rotatable relative to the flange 90. That is, the cam rod 30 is rotatably supported on the flange 90 at the connecting portion 30a. The outer circumference of the connecting portion 30a is provided with a projection to prevent the connecting portion 30a from detaching from the connecting hole 91h.

[0065] The rod body 30c extends axially along the second axis J2, which is approximately parallel to the third axis J3. The second axis J2 is perpendicular to the first axis J1. Therefore, the rod body 30c extends in a direction perpendicular to the connecting portion 30a. The rod body 30c passes inside the sleeve 80. The rod body 30c is guided by the sleeve 80. That is, the cam rod 30 is supported by the sleeve 80 at the rod body 30c. The cam rod 30 also moves along the second axis J2 in conjunction with the movement of the flange 90 (i.e., rotation around the first axis J1). In the unlocked state, the rod body 30c is slightly inclined with respect to the second axis J2 (see Figure 3).

[0066] The relay section 30b extends axially along a direction perpendicular to the first axis J1 and the second axis J2 (in this embodiment, the vertical direction). Therefore, the relay section 30b is perpendicular to the connecting section 30a and the rod body 30c, respectively. The upper end of the relay section 30b is connected to the connecting section 30a. The lower end of the relay section 30b is connected to the rod body 30c. The relay section 30b connects the connecting section 30a and the rod body 30c.

[0067] The relay section 30b extends toward the third axis J3 when viewed from the axial direction of the third axis J3. The relay section 30b is provided to shift the relative vertical position of the connecting section 30a and the rod body 30c. By arranging the relay section 30b to extend toward the third axis J3, the connecting section 30a can be positioned closer to the third axis J3 relative to the rod body 30c. As a result, the cam 35 supported by the rod body 30c can be positioned in the optimal position, while the flange 90, manual shaft 71, actuator, etc. connected to the connecting section 30a can be positioned closer to the third axis J3. This allows the various parts of the parking mechanism 8 to be densely arranged around the third axis J3, and the space required for the parking mechanism 8 within the drive unit 1 can be reduced.

[0068] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the coil spring 39, cam 35, and cap 38 are passed through the rod body 30c. In other words, the coil spring 39, cam 35, and cap 38 are attached to the rod body 30c. In the following explanation, the end of the rod body 30c that is connected to the intermediate section 30b will be referred to as the base end 30cb, and the end opposite the base end will be referred to as the tip end 30ca.

[0069] The coil spring 39 is positioned on the base end 30cb side of the rod body 30c relative to the cam 35. A projection 30cc larger than the inner diameter of the coil spring 39 is provided on the outer circumference of the base end 30cb of the rod body 30c. The coil spring 39 is positioned between the projection 30cc and the cam 35 in a compressed state relative to its natural length. The coil spring 39 applies a force to the cam 35 toward the tip 30ca side of the rod body 30c.

[0070] The cap 38 is fixed to the tip 30ca of the rod body 30c. The cap 38 is positioned on the rod body 30c on the tip 30ca side of the cam 35. The cap 38 contacts the end face of the cam 35. The cap 38 restricts the cam 35 from moving toward the tip 30ca side relative to the rod body 30c. The cap 38 prevents the cam 35 from falling off the tip 30ca of the rod body 30c.

[0071] The cam 35 is annular in shape with the rod body 30c at its center. The rod body 30c is inserted through the central through-hole of the cam 35. The inner diameter of the through-hole of the cam 35 is larger than the outer diameter of the rod body 30c. The cam 35 is sandwiched between the coil spring 39 and the cap 38 in the longitudinal direction of the rod body 30c. The coil spring 39 is compressed as the cam 35 moves toward the base end 30cb. The cam 35 moves toward the base end 30cb relative to the rod body 30c when it receives a force toward the base end 30cb that is stronger than the repulsive force of the coil spring 39, causing the coil spring 39 to compress.

[0072] The cam 35 contacts the cam contact portion 23 of the parking pole 20 on its outer circumferential surface. The outer circumferential surface of the cam 35 is provided with a first conical surface 35a and a second conical surface 35b. The first conical surface 35a and the second conical surface 35b are arranged coaxially. The first conical surface 35a and the second conical surface 35b are each conical tapered surfaces whose outer diameter gradually decreases from the base end 30cb side to the tip end 30ca side of the rod body 30c. The second conical surface 35b is located on the tip end 30ca side relative to the first conical surface 35a. The taper angle of the first conical surface 35a is sufficiently small compared to the taper angle of the second conical surface 35b. The taper angle of the second conical surface 35b is set to an angle sufficient to allow the cam 35 to smoothly detach from the sleeve 80 and the cam contact portion 23 when transitioning from the locked state to the unlocked state. Note that the first conical surface 35a may be a cylindrical surface rather than a conical one.

[0073] The movement of the rod body 30c is transmitted to the cam 35 via the coil spring 39. As a result, the cam 35 moves along the second axis together with the rod body 30c. The cam 35 also contacts the cam contact portion 23 of the parking pole 20 on its outer surface. The cam 35 moves in conjunction with the movement of the cam rod 30, thereby operating the parking pole 20.

[0074] As shown in Figure 3, in the unlocked state of the parking mechanism 8, the second conical surface 35b of the cam 35 faces the cam contact portion 23 of the parking pawl 20 with a gap in between. Also, as shown in Figure 4, in the locked state of the parking mechanism 8, the cam 35 contacts the cam contact portion 23 with its first conical surface 35a. When the state of the parking mechanism 8 switches between the locked and unlocked states, the cam 35 contacts the cam contact portion 23 with its second conical surface 35b and slides further. As a result, the cam 35 moves the cam contact portion 23 upward and rotates the parking pawl 20 around the fourth axis J4.

[0075] As shown in Figure 5, in the standby parking mechanism, the cam 35 contacts the cam contact portion 23 at the second conical surface 35b. As shown in Figure 6, the standby state is when the meshing portion 25 is pressed against the outer circumferential surface of the teeth 11 of the parking gear 10. As shown in Figure 5, even when the cam rod 30 of the parking pawl 20 moves to the locked position, the cam 35 cannot move and remains pressed against the cam contact portion 23. As a result, the coil spring 39 is compressed between the cam 35 and the projection 30cc of the rod body 30c. The coil spring 39 presses the cam 35 against the cam contact portion 23 until the parking gear 10 rotates and the meshing portion 25 engages with the teeth 11. The coil spring 39 is most compressed in the standby state.

[0076] Figures 4 and 5 show the natural length Ln of the coil spring 39. As described above, the coil spring 39 is assembled to the rod body 30c in a compressed state. As shown in Figure 4, the coil spring 39 in its initial assembly state is compressed by Xa to a length of La. Also, as shown in Figure 5, the coil spring 39 in the standby state is compressed by the maximum compression amount Xb to a length of Lb. That is, the coil spring 39 is compressed to the maximum compression amount Xb when the meshing portion 25 is pressed against the outer circumferential surface 11a of the teeth portion 11 (standby state).

[0077] The sleeve 80 is cylindrical and extends along the second axis J2. The tip 30ca of the rod body 30c is inserted into the sleeve 80. The sleeve 80 is cylindrical and surrounds the rod body 30c. The sleeve 80 is provided with a notch 83 that opens radially outward on a portion of its inner surface 81. The sleeve 80 is fixed to the inner surface of the housing 6. The sleeve 80 guides the movement of the rod body 30c and the cam 35.

[0078] Figure 7 is a side view of a part of the parking mechanism 8 of this embodiment, viewed from the axial direction of the first axis J1. As shown in Figure 7, a virtual perpendicular line P is set from the first axis J1 to the second axis J2 when viewed from the axial direction of the first axis J1. The perpendicular line P is perpendicular to the second axis J2. In this embodiment, since the first axis J1 and the second axis J2 each extend along the horizontal direction, the perpendicular line P extends in the vertical direction. Note that the perpendicular line P does not necessarily have to extend in the vertical direction.

[0079] A virtual line VL is defined connecting the center point of the first axis J1 and the connecting portion 30a of the cam rod 30, viewed from the axial direction of the first axis J1. The connecting portion 30a moves around the first axis J1 as the manual shaft 71 rotates. Therefore, the connecting portion 30a moves along a virtual circle VC centered on the first axis J1 as the flange 90 moves.

[0080] Let θ be the angle between the imaginary line VL and the perpendicular line P. That is, let θ be the angle between the perpendicular line P and the connecting part 30a when viewed from the axial direction of the first axis J1. The angle θ changes as the connecting part 30a moves along the imaginary circle VC. The connecting part 30a moves around the first axis J1 within a range of ±45° with respect to the perpendicular line P. Therefore, the angle θ is an angle of ±45° or less. Note that the range of movement of the connecting part 30a (±45°) is only the maximum range, and the connecting part 30a moves within an even narrower range of motion than this range.

[0081] Let R be the distance between the first axis J1 and the connecting portion 30a, viewed from the axial direction of the first axis J1. The distance R is the radius of the virtual circle VC. Furthermore, let k be the spring constant of the coil spring 39. Also, let Xb be the maximum compression amount of the coil spring 39 within the movable range of the rod body 30c. Furthermore, let Ts be the self-holding torque of the actuator 70.

[0082] As described above, when the spring constant k, maximum compression amount Xb, distance R, and angle θ are set, the following equation 1 holds true for the self-holding torque Ts of the actuator 70 in this embodiment.

[0083]

number

[0084] The right-hand side of Equation 1 is the maximum torque that can be input from the cam rod 30 to the manual shaft 71. The manual shaft 71 receives torque from the cam rod 30 when the coil spring 39 is compressed. Therefore, the manual shaft 71 receives the greatest torque when the parking pole 20 is in a standby position and the coil spring 39 is compressed to its maximum compression amount Xb.

[0085] The reaction force Fsp of the coil spring 39 is applied to the connecting portion 30a. The reaction force Fsp is expressed as the product of the maximum compression amount Xb of the coil spring 39 and the spring constant k of the coil spring 39. The reaction force Fsp forms an angle θ with respect to the tangential direction of the virtual circle VC. Therefore, the maximum torque applied to the manual shaft 71 is the value obtained by multiplying Fsp by cosθ (the right-hand side of Equation 1).

[0086] According to this embodiment, the actuator 70 has a self-holding torque Ts that is greater than the maximum torque that can be input from the cam rod 30 to the manual shaft 71. Therefore, even when the actuator 70 receives torque from the cam rod 30, it can maintain the rotation angle of the manual shaft 71 without rotating the manual shaft 71.

[0087] According to the parking mechanism 8 of this embodiment, a positioning structure such as a leaf spring for positioning the rotation angle of the manual shaft 71 is not required. Therefore, according to this embodiment, not only can the number of parts be reduced, but the parking mechanism 8 can also be made more compact.

[0088] Furthermore, according to the parking mechanism 8 of this embodiment, compared to the case where a positioning structure such as a leaf spring is used, there is no need to rotate the manual shaft 71 against the elastic force of the leaf spring, and thus the power consumption of the actuator 70 can be reduced.

[0089] In the actuator 70 of this embodiment, the reduction ratio of the power transmission path from the rotating shaft 79a to the manual shaft 71 is 1:100 or more. This ensures the self-holding torque Ts mentioned above. reduction By achieving a high speed ratio, the actuator 70 can impart a large force to the cam rod 30.

[0090] When the parking pawl 20 transitions from a locked state to an unlocked state, the force received from the cam contact portion 23 of the parking pawl 20 may cause the cam 35 to engage. In this embodiment, the actuator 70 can apply a large force to the cam rod 30, making it easier to resolve the engagement of the cam 35. Furthermore, the force generated on the cam 35 when it engages tends to be larger when the parking gear 10 is fixed to a shaft that transmits high torque. In this embodiment, since the structure makes it easy to resolve the engagement of the cam 35, it is easy to adopt a structure in which the parking gear 10 is fixed to a shaft with high transmission torque (for example, an intermediate shaft 45 (see Figure 1)).

[0091] In Figure 7, the outer diameter of the case 72 of the actuator 70 is shown by a dashed line. As shown in Figure 7, the height dimension h of the actuator 70 in the direction in which the perpendicular P extends (up and down in this embodiment) is defined as the height dimension h. In this embodiment, the distance R between the first axis J1 and the connecting portion 30a, as viewed from the axial direction of the first axis J1, is smaller than the height dimension h of the actuator. Therefore, the flange 90 does not become excessively large relative to the size of the actuator 70, and a compact parking mechanism 8 can be provided.

[0092] In this embodiment, the connecting portion 30a of the cam rod 30 moves around the first axis J1 within a range of ±45° with respect to the perpendicular P. That is, the angle θ is within the range of ±45°. The movement stroke of the cam rod 30 along the second axis J2 is expressed as R·sinθ. By setting the range of angle θ to ±45°, a sufficiently large movement stroke of the cam rod 30 can be secured relative to the rotation angle of the manual shaft 71.

[0093] Next, the configuration of the protruding portion 92 of the flange 90 will be explained in more detail. As shown in Figure 2, the protrusion 92 is positioned on the parking gear 10 side relative to the relay portion 30b in the axial direction of the second axis J2, and overlaps with the relay portion 30b when viewed from the axial direction of the second axis J2.

[0094] The protruding portion 92 has an opposing surface 92f that faces the intermediate portion 30b. The opposing surface 92f faces the intermediate portion 30b with a gap in the axial direction of the second axis J2. The opposing surface 92f is provided with a groove 92g that extends along the direction in which the intermediate portion 30b extends (up and down in this embodiment). That is, the protruding portion 92 has a groove 92g located on the opposing surface 92f. Note that since the protruding portion 92 in this embodiment is plate-shaped, the groove 92g is notched.

[0095] Here, we assume that the connecting hole 191h provided in the flange 90 is sufficiently large relative to the outer circumference of the connecting portion 30a of the cam rod 30, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 7. In this case, the cam rod 30 can move along the second axis J2 relative to the flange 90 by the amount of play between the connecting hole 191h and the connecting portion 30a. Furthermore, the amount of play between the connecting hole 191h and the connecting portion 30a along the second axis J2 is greater than the distance between the intermediate portion 30b and the protruding portion 92 along the second axis J2. Therefore, the way force is transmitted from the flange 90 to the cam rod 30 changes depending on the direction of rotation of the flange 90 in the circumferential direction. That is, when the flange 90 rotates counterclockwise in Figure 7, the cam rod 30 is pushed to the right in Figure 7 by the inner surface of the connecting hole 191h. On the other hand, when the flange 90 rotates clockwise in Figure 7, the cam rod 30 is pushed to the left in Figure 7 by the opposing surface of the intermediate portion 30b.

[0096] In this configuration, as the cam rod 30 rotates circumferentially on one side (counterclockwise in Figure 7) around the first axis J1 of the flange 90, it contacts the flange body 91 at the connecting portion 30a and moves along the second axis J2 toward the parking gear 10 (right side in Figure 7). Also, as the cam rod 30 rotates circumferentially on the other side (clockwise in Figure 7) around the first axis J1 of the flange 90, it contacts the protruding portion 92 at the intermediate portion 30b and moves along the second axis J2 toward the opposite side of the parking gear 10 (left side in Figure 7).

[0097] This configuration allows the point of application of force from the flange 90 to the cam rod 30 to be changed depending on whether the cam rod 30 is moved towards the parking gear 10 or to the opposite side. More specifically, when the cam rod 30 is moved to the opposite side of the parking gear 10 (left side in Figure 7), the point of application can be positioned further from the first axis J1 than when it is moved towards the parking gear 10. As a result, when the cam rod 30 is moved to the opposite side of the parking gear 10 (left side in Figure 7), it is possible to move the cam rod 30 a large distance with a small rotation angle. On the other hand, when the cam rod 30 is moved towards the parking gear 10 (right side in Figure 7), it is possible to move the cam rod 30 with a large force.

[0098] Furthermore, the protruding portion 92 is used in the assembly method of the parking mechanism 8. The assembly method for the parking mechanism 8 includes a flange fixing step, a cam rod connection step, and a sleeve mounting step. This section will primarily describe each of these steps.

[0099] In the parking mechanism 8 shown in Figure 2, the following preparations are made in advance before performing the flange fixing process, the cam rod connection process, and the sleeve mounting process. In the assembly process of the parking mechanism 8, the actuator 70 is assembled first. Next, the actuator 70 is fixed to the outer surface of the housing 6 (see Figure 1). The pole shaft 29 and the parking pole 20 are then mounted to the inner surface of the housing 6, and the parking gear 10 is then mounted to the gear section.

[0100] Figure 8 is a side view illustrating the flange fixing process, cam rod connection process, and sleeve mounting process of the assembly method of the parking mechanism 8 in this embodiment. In Figure 8, the vertically upward direction in the assembly process is indicated by the arrow U.

[0101] The flange fixing process, the cam rod connection process, and the sleeve mounting process are performed in this order. As described above, the actuator 70 is fixed to the housing 6 prior to the flange fixing process. Therefore, the manual shaft 71 of the actuator 70 protrudes from the inner surface of the housing 6 into the inside of the housing 6.

[0102] The flange fixing process is the process of fixing the flange 90 to the manual shaft 71. In the flange fixing process, the worker inserts the manual shaft 71 into the insertion hole 91a provided in the flange 90 and fixes them relative to each other with a fixing member 95.

[0103] The cam rod connection process involves connecting the cam rod 30 to the flange 90. Prior to the cam rod connection process, the coil spring 39, cam 35, and cap 38 are assembled to the rod body 30c.

[0104] In the cam rod connection process, the worker inserts the connecting portion 30a of the cam rod 30 into the connecting hole 91h provided in the flange 90 to connect them so that they can rotate. A projection is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the connecting portion 30a of the cam rod, and a notch of substantially the same shape as the projection is provided on the inner edge of the connecting hole 91h. When inserting the connecting portion 30a into the connecting hole 91h, the worker aligns the projection of the connecting portion 30a with the notch of the connecting hole 91h and inserts it, then rotates the connecting portion 30a. This prevents the connecting portion 30a from detaching from the flange 90.

[0105] The sleeve mounting process is the process of attaching the sleeve 80. The sleeve mounting process is performed in a position where the second axis J2 is aligned vertically, as shown in Figure 8. That is, the sleeve mounting process is performed with the housing 6 tilted 90° from the horizontal to the vertical.

[0106] In the sleeve installation process, the protruding portion 92 of the flange 90 is positioned below the intermediate portion 30b of the cam rod 30. In the sleeve installation process, the worker supports the intermediate portion 30b from below with the protruding portion 92 and inserts the tip 30ca of the rod body 30c into the sleeve 80. Furthermore, the worker fixes the sleeve 80 to the inner surface of the housing 6.

[0107] During the sleeve mounting process, the intermediate portion 30b is housed in the groove 92g of the protruding portion 92. This allows the protruding portion 92 not only to support the intermediate portion 30b from below, but also to stabilize the intermediate portion 30b, thereby preventing the intermediate portion 30b from detaching during the sleeve mounting process.

[0108] According to this embodiment, the flange 90 is provided with a protrusion 92, which allows the cam rod 30, which tends to become unstable during the assembly process, to be temporarily held in place by the protrusion 92. This makes it easier to insert the tip 30ca of the rod body 30c into the sleeve 80, thereby simplifying the assembly process of the parking mechanism 8.

[0109] Furthermore, it is preferable that the flange fixing process and the cam rod connecting process described above be performed in the same orientation as the sleeve mounting process. This eliminates the need to change the orientation of the housing 6 during the process, thereby reducing the cycle time between processes.

[0110] Next, the configuration of the rotation sensor 76 will be described. The parking mechanism 8 of this embodiment does not have a mechanical positioning mechanism for the rotation angle of the manual shaft 71. Therefore, the positioning of the rotation angle of the manual shaft 71 is electrically controlled based on the measurement result of a rotation sensor 76 provided in the output gear section 75. In this embodiment, the actuator 70 acquires a reference value from the rotation sensor 76 by performing a butt-in process. The rotation sensor 76 outputs the rotation angle of the manual shaft 71 based on the angle relative to the reference value.

[0111] As shown in Figure 7, a stopper member 6a is provided on the inner surface of the housing 6 that houses the parking mechanism 8. In this embodiment, the stopper member 6a is a pin-shaped member fixed to the inner surface of the housing 6. Note that the stopper member 6a may be part of the inner surface of the housing 6.

[0112] The abutment member 6a faces the end face 91f of the flange 90 in the circumferential direction around the first axis J1. That is, the abutment member 6a faces the flange 90 on the rotational trajectory of the flange 90.

[0113] The abutting process involves abutting the flange 90 against the abutting member 6a. As the manual shaft 71 rotates, the flange 90 rotates toward the abutting member 6a, causing its end face 91f to come into contact with the abutting member 6a.

[0114] The rotation of the flange 90 is restricted when the flange 90 comes into contact with the abutment member 6a. The control unit (not shown), which is connected to the rotation sensor 76, determines that the flange 90 has come into contact with the abutment member 6a when the measured value of the rotation sensor 76 becomes constant, and stores this value as a reference value. The control unit also uses the reference value as a mechanical reference to control the rotation angle of the manual shaft 71.

[0115] According to this embodiment, the reference value of the rotation sensor 76 is derived using the abutment member 6a provided on the housing 6. Therefore, regardless of individual differences in the assembly accuracy of the rotation sensor 76 and the dimensional accuracy of each component, the measured value of the rotation sensor 76 can be measured with high accuracy based on the rotation angle from the abutment member 6a, and the parking mechanism 8 can be operated stably.

[0116] According to this embodiment, the abutment member 6a is provided on the housing 6. Since each part of the parking mechanism 8 is assembled with the housing 6 as the reference, by providing the abutment member 6a on the housing 6 and using it as the reference for the rotation angle measured by the rotation sensor 76, it is easier to improve the relative positional accuracy with respect to other parts, and thus improve the measurement accuracy of the rotation sensor 76.

[0117] Next, we will describe the manual operation of the actuator 70. As shown in Figure 2, in the actuator 70 of this embodiment, the tip 79b of the rotating shaft 79a is exposed through the opening 72w of the case 72. The operator can insert a tool through the opening 72w and rotate the rotating shaft 79a.

[0118] Figures 9 and 10 are perspective views showing tool connection parts 79c and 79d, respectively, located at the tip 79b of the rotating shaft 79a.

[0119] The tool connection portion 79c shown in Figure 9 is a linear groove provided on the surface of the tip 79b of the rotating shaft 79a. A flathead screwdriver can be connected to this tool connection portion 79c. The operator can rotate the rotating shaft 79a by engaging the tip of the flathead screwdriver with the tool connection portion 79c.

[0120] The tool connection portion 79d shown in Figure 10 is an H-cut provided at the tip 79b of the rotating shaft 79a. A socket driver that engages with the H-cut can be connected to this tool connection portion 79d. The operator can rotate the rotating shaft 79a by engaging the tip of the socket driver with the tool connection portion 79d.

[0121] According to this embodiment, the tip 79b of the rotating shaft 79a is provided with tool connection portions 79c and 79d that engage with a tool that rotates the rotating shaft 79a. In this embodiment, the actuator 70 has a large self-holding torque, making it impossible to manually operate the manual shaft 71. According to this embodiment, the operator can directly rotate the rotating shaft 79a of the motor 79. Therefore, even with the actuator 70 having a large self-holding torque, the state of the parking mechanism 8 (locked or unlocked) can be manually switched.

[0122] In addition, according to this embodiment, the operator directly rotates the rotating shaft 79a, allowing the state of the parking mechanism 8 to be switched with a small torque. Therefore, small and versatile tools such as screwdrivers can be used as tools connected to the tool connection parts 79c and 79d, improving maintainability. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, since the rotating shaft 79a can be operated with a small tool, the opening 72w for accessing the tool connection parts 79c and 79d can be made smaller, and the actuator 70 can be miniaturized.

[0123] Although various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the configurations and combinations thereof in each embodiment are merely examples, and additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited by these embodiments.

[0124] For example, the power unit of the drive device 1 in this embodiment was a motor, but it may also be an engine. Furthermore, the structure of the gear unit (transmission mechanism) is not limited to the description in this embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0125] 1…Drive unit, 3…Gear section, 6…Housing, 6a…Butt member, 8…Parking mechanism, 10…Parking gear, 11…Tooth section, 11a…Outer surface, 20…Parking pawl (chock member), 25…Meshing section, 29…Pawl shaft, 30…Cam rod, 30a…Connecting section, 30b…Intermediate section, 30c…Rod body, 35…Cam, 39…Coil spring, 70…Actuator, 71…Manual shaft, 72…Case, 72w…Opening, 73…Worm gear, 74…Counter Tag gear section, 74a...Worm wheel, 74b...Small diameter gear, 75...Output gear section, 79...Motor, 79a...Rotating shaft, 79c,79d...Tool connection section, 80...Sleeve, 90...Flange, 91...Flange body, 92...Protrusion, 92f...Opposite surface, 92g...Groove section, J1...First axis, J2...Second axis, J4...Fourth axis, J7...Seventh axis (axis), J8...Eighth axis (axis), k...Spring constant, P...Perpendicular, R...Distance, Ts...Self-holding torque, Xb...Maximum compression, θ...Angle

Claims

1. An actuator having a manual shaft that extends along a first axis and rotates about the first axis, A flange provided on the outer circumference of the manual shaft and extending along the radial direction of the first axis, A cam rod having a connecting portion connected to the flange, and a rod body extending along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and moving along the second axis in accordance with the movement of the flange, A coil spring attached to the rod body, A cam is attached to the rod body and moves along the second axis, with the movement of the rod body transmitted via the coil spring. A stopper member having an engagement portion and operating in conjunction with the movement of the cam, The aforementioned meshing portion has a parking gear having teeth that mesh with each other, A virtual perpendicular line is set from the first axis to the second axis when viewed from the axial direction of the first axis, The connecting portion moves around the first axis within a range of ±45° with respect to the perpendicular, The actuator is A motor having a rotating shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to the first axis, A worm gear is provided on the outer circumference of the rotating shaft and is rotated by the motor, A counter gear section having a worm wheel that meshes with the worm gear, and a small-diameter gear that rotates together with the worm wheel around an axis parallel to the first axis, An output gear section is fixed to the outer surface of the manual shaft and rotates around the first axis in mesh with the small-diameter gear, The device comprises a case housing the motor, the worm gear, the counter gear section, and the output gear section, The case is provided with an opening that exposes the tip of the rotating shaft. The tip of the rotating shaft is provided with a tool connection portion that engages with a tool that rotates the rotating shaft. Let the spring constant of the coil spring be k. Let Xb be the maximum compression amount of the coil spring within the movable range of the rod body. R is the distance between the first axis and the connecting portion, viewed from the axial direction of the first axis. Viewed from the axial direction of the first axis, let θ be the angle between the perpendicular and the connecting portion. A parking mechanism in which the following equation 1 holds true, with Ts being the self-holding torque of the actuator. [Math 1]

2. An actuator having a manual shaft that extends along a first axis and rotates about the first axis, A flange provided on the outer circumference of the manual shaft and extending along the radial direction of the first axis, A cam rod having a connecting portion connected to the flange, and a rod body extending along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and moving along the second axis in accordance with the movement of the flange, A coil spring attached to the rod body, A cam is attached to the rod body and moves along the second axis, with the movement of the rod body transmitted via the coil spring. A stopper member having an engagement portion and operating in conjunction with the movement of the cam, The aforementioned meshing portion has a parking gear having teeth that mesh with each other, A virtual perpendicular line is set from the first axis to the second axis when viewed from the axial direction of the first axis, The connecting portion moves around the first axis within a range of ±45° with respect to the perpendicular, The cam rod has a relay portion that connects the connecting portion and the rod body, The connecting portion extends axially along the axial direction of the first axis, The relay section extends axially along a direction perpendicular to the first axis, The aforementioned flange is A flange body extending along the radial direction of the first axis, The flange body has a projection that protrudes along the axial direction of the first axis, The protruding portion is positioned in the axial direction of the second axis toward the parking gear side of the relay portion, and overlaps the relay portion when viewed from the axial direction of the second axis. Let the spring constant of the coil spring be k. Let Xb be the maximum compression amount of the coil spring within the movable range of the rod body. R is the distance between the first axis and the connecting portion, viewed from the axial direction of the first axis. Viewed from the axial direction of the first axis, let θ be the angle between the perpendicular and the connecting portion. A parking mechanism in which the following equation 1 holds true, with Ts being the self-holding torque of the actuator. [Math 2]

3. The protruding portion is located on the opposing surface facing the relay portion and has a groove that extends along the direction in which the relay portion extends. The parking mechanism according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned cam rod is As the flange rotates on one side in the circumferential direction about the first axis, the connecting portion contacts the flange body and moves toward the parking gear side along the second axis. The parking mechanism according to claim 2 or 3, wherein, as the flange rotates on the other side in the circumferential direction about the first axis, the intermediate portion contacts the protruding portion and moves along the second axis to the opposite side of the parking gear.

5. The actuator is A motor having a rotating shaft extending in a direction perpendicular to the first axis, A worm gear is provided on the outer circumference of the rotating shaft and is rotated by the motor, A counter gear section having a worm wheel that meshes with the worm gear, and a small-diameter gear that rotates together with the worm wheel around an axis parallel to the first axis, The manual shaft has an output gear section fixed to its outer circumferential surface, which meshes with the small-diameter gear and rotates around the first axis, A parking mechanism according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

6. The reduction ratio of the power transmission path of the actuator, from the rotating shaft to the manual shaft, is 1:100 or greater. The parking mechanism according to claim 5.

7. The rod body is equipped with a sleeve into which the tip is inserted, The cam rod is rotatably supported by the flange at the connecting portion and supported by the sleeve at the rod body. A parking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. It has a pole shaft that extends along a fourth axis perpendicular to the first axis and rotatably supports the stopper member, A parking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. A housing housing the parking mechanism is provided with abutment member that faces the flange on the rotational trajectory of the flange, A parking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The coil spring is compressed by the maximum compression amount Xb when the meshing portion is pressed against the outer circumferential surface of the teeth. A parking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The parking mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the distance R between the first axis and the connecting portion, as viewed from the axial direction of the first axis, is smaller than the dimension of the actuator in the direction in which the perpendicular extends.

12. A method for assembling a parking mechanism provided in a drive unit, The aforementioned parking mechanism is An actuator having a manual shaft that extends along a first axis and rotates about the first axis, A flange provided on the outer circumference of the manual shaft and extending along the radial direction of the first axis, A cam rod having a connecting portion connected to the flange, a rod body extending along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis and moving along the second axis in accordance with the movement of the flange, and a relay portion connecting the connecting portion and the rod body, The sleeve into which the tip of the rod body is inserted, A coil spring attached to the rod body, A cam is attached to the rod body and moves along the second axis, with the movement of the rod body transmitted via the coil spring. A stopper member having an engagement portion and operating in conjunction with the movement of the cam, The aforementioned meshing portion has a parking gear having teeth that mesh with each other, The aforementioned flange is A flange body extending along the radial direction of the first axis, It has a projection that protrudes from the flange body in a direction parallel to the first axis, The protruding portion is positioned in the axial direction of the second axis toward the parking gear side of the relay portion, and overlaps the relay portion when viewed from the axial direction of the second axis. A cam rod connecting step in which the cam rod is connected to the flange, The process includes a sleeve mounting step for attaching the aforementioned sleeve, The sleeve mounting process is performed in a position in which the second axis is aligned vertically, and the tip of the rod body is inserted into the sleeve while the intermediate portion is supported from below by the protruding portion. How to assemble the parking mechanism.

Images