Gear Lever Position Sensor Arrangement for Fault Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gear selectors with 'shift by wire' technology face reliability issues and fault detection challenges due to the lack of mechanical connection between the gear lever and gearbox, requiring enhanced sensor arrangements for accurate position reading and fault indication.
Innovation Solution
A sensor arrangement with a first sensor component and multiple second sensor components, positioned and dimensioned to detect the gear lever's position, utilizing various interaction principles such as magnetism or conductivity, to ensure reliable operation and fault detection by applying specific rules for sensor activation and signal detection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single active sensor component is used to detect gear lever position, then the system structure is simple, but the reliability decreases and fault detection capability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor arrangement is segmented into a first sensor component (passive) and multiple second sensor components (active), where the first component is divided into sections that can each cover at most two second sensor components. This segmentation allows the system to maintain simplicity while improving reliability through redundant detection points.
Solution Approach 2:
The first sensor component acts as an intermediary that moves with the gear lever and interacts with the stationary second sensor components. This intermediary mechanism enables the system to detect position changes while maintaining a clear separation between moving and stationary elements, simplifying the overall structure.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensor components are arranged closely together to improve detection precision, then measurement precision improves, but the risk of simultaneous activation increases system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The second sensor components are arranged with specific spacing such that the first sensor component can cover at most two second sensor components at any given position. This local quality constraint simplifies the activation logic by limiting the maximum number of simultaneously active sensors to two, making the system easier to control while maintaining precise position detection.
3Reliability
If the first sensor component is made longer to cover more second sensor components, then fault detection capability improves, but the device complexity and signal interpretation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The length of the first sensor component is specifically dimensioned to cover at most two second sensor components, creating a controlled parameter range. This parameter constraint ensures that the system maintains fault detection capability while keeping signal interpretation manageable, as the maximum number of activated sensors remains limited and predictable.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution increases the reliability of gear selectors by enabling accurate gear position detection and fault identification, allowing the system to maintain reduced but safe functionality in case of component failures, ensuring the vehicle can be driven safely until repairs can be made.
Implementation Method 1
The first sensor component can be a magnet, and the second sensor components can, in this case, be sensors that are sensitive to magnetism
Implementation Method 2
the first sensor component and the second sensor components can be electrically conductive, so that contact between the first sensor component and at least one of the second sensor components gives rise to a closed current path
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an arrangement for reading off the position of the gear lever in a gear selector in a vehicle, in which a sensor arrangement includes a first sensor component and a plurality of second sensor components that can interact with the first sensor component to detect the position of the first sensor component. The first sensor component is arranged to move with the gear lever to read off the position of the first sensor component in relation to the plurality of second sensor components, where the first sensor component can cover at least two of the second sensor components. Further, a detected position of the first sensor component can be relayed to a control device, which is configured to evaluate the presence of faults in the device.