Integrated Park Lock and Disconnect Actuation for EV Axles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric vehicle (EV) axle systems with secondary axles face challenges in integrating a disconnect clutch and park lock system, where separate actuators can lead to functional failures due to unknown operational states, particularly when one actuator fails, risking unintended vehicle movement.
Innovation Solution
An integrated actuation system using a single actuator motor to control both an oil pump and a disconnect device and park lock mechanism, employing a selectable clutch or transmission to ensure synchronized engagement and disengagement, with a rotary-to-linear translator for sequential operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate actuators are used for disconnect clutch and park lock system, then each component can be independently controlled, but functional failures occur due to unknown operational states when one actuator fails, risking unintended vehicle movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the control of the disconnect clutch and park lock system into a single integrated actuator system. The actuator shaft is mechanically coupled to both the disconnect clutch mechanism and the park lock mechanism, ensuring that a single actuator controls both functions. This merging eliminates the risk of one actuator failing while the other remains in an unknown state, as both functions share the same actuator and control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The single actuator is designed to perform multiple functions: it controls both the disconnect clutch engagement/disengagement and the park lock engagement/disengagement. The actuator shaft can selectively drive either the disconnect clutch or the park lock mechanism based on operational requirements, providing universal control capability for both safety-critical functions through one multi-functional component.
2Device complexity
If a single actuator controls both oil pump and disconnect device, then device complexity is reduced, but the actuator must selectively engage different mechanisms requiring precise control
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic control where the single actuator can selectively engage different mechanisms based on real-time operational needs. The actuator shaft is designed to dynamically switch between driving the oil pump, engaging the disconnect clutch, or engaging the park lock mechanism. This dynamic capability allows one actuator to perform multiple functions by changing its engagement state and driven component based on system requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The actuator shaft serves as an intermediary component that transfers rotational motion from the single actuator to different target mechanisms. Through the shaft and associated coupling mechanisms, the actuator can selectively transmit power to the oil pump, disconnect clutch, or park lock system as needed, providing a flexible intermediary control path that reduces overall system complexity while maintaining precise selective engagement capability.
Data Source
AI summary
An actuation system of actuating both a disconnect device and a park lock is provided. The system includes a motor actuator that drives an oil pump, with the same output of the motor actuator controlling the disconnect device and the park lock. The system includes a translator mechanism, which converts rotary movement of a selectable output shaft into linear movement of a lock collar. Rotation in the first direction sequentially engages the disconnect device and then the park lock, while maintaining the disconnect device in the connected state. Rotation in the second direction first disengages the park lock and then the disconnect device. The selectable output mechanism may be a selectable clutch that, when connected, transfers forward or backward rotary movement of the motor actuator output to shift the translator forward or backward.