Vehicle Parking Lock Engagement Using Speed and Auxiliary Power

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional parking lock systems for electric vehicles face issues with abrupt stops and high torque during engagement, which can lead to component stress, and they lack redundancy in locking mechanisms to prevent unintentional rolling away in case of power supply failures.

Innovation Solution

A parking lock device with an electromechanical auxiliary actuator system that engages a locking pawl via an auxiliary power source, allowing redundancy in locking action, especially during power supply faults, using a spring-loaded pin mechanism and coil for low power consumption, and utilizing vehicle kinetic energy for operation above predetermined speeds.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a conventional parking lock device is integrated into the brake caliper, then the braking system structure is simplified, but the device becomes susceptible to water and road salt damage

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebraking system structureVSAvoidresistance to water and road salt damage
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The parking lock device is separated from the brake caliper and integrated into the brake disc instead. This segmentation isolates the parking lock mechanism from the hydraulic brake system components, protecting it from water and road salt damage while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The brake disc serves as an intermediary structure that houses the parking lock device. By placing the parking lock mechanism within the brake disc, the invention creates a protective barrier against environmental factors while maintaining the functional integration of the braking system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the parking lock device is integrated into the brake disc, then resistance to water and road salt damage is improved, but the brake disc structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresistance to water and road salt damageVSAvoidbrake disc structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The parking lock device is merged with the brake disc structure, utilizing the brake disc's existing form and material properties. This integration allows the parking lock mechanism to benefit from the brake disc's inherent resistance to water and road salt damage without requiring separate protective structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The brake disc serves multiple functions: it provides the friction surface for braking and simultaneously houses the parking lock device. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional protective structures, maintaining relative structural simplicity while improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If the parking lock device uses a locking lever with a locking claw, then reliable locking engagement is achieved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelocking engagementVSAvoidlocking mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using a complex multi-point locking system, the invention uses a single locking lever with a locking claw that engages with a corresponding feature on the brake disc. This inverted approach achieves reliable locking with fewer components by focusing the locking action at a single critical engagement point.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The locking function is extracted from a complex multi-component system and simplified to a single locking lever mechanism. By taking out only the essential locking elements (lever and claw) and removing unnecessary components, the invention achieves reliable locking engagement with reduced device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP4226065B1Parking lock device for a vehicle and method for operating a parking lock device in a vehicle
Publication Date: 2026.04.22 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP4226065B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4226065B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4226065B1 patent drawingFigure 3a

AI summary

The present invention creates a parking lock device (10) for a vehicle (F), in which a speed of the vehicle when a locking effect is selected can be determined, comprising a pawl (SP); a parking lock wheel (1); an actuation device (AE) with which the pawl (SP) can be actuated; a control device (SE) with which an actuation of the pawl (SP) can be controlled depending on the speed of the vehicle, wherein the speed can be determined from an acceleration of the vehicle, and the pawl (SP) cannot be engaged until the speed and/or the acceleration is lower than a predefined limit value, and wherein a value of the acceleration can be received by the control device (SE) from an acceleration sensor device (2); and a auxiliary power source (3) with which the control device (SE) and the actuation device (AE) can be operated.