Parking Lock Actuator With Spring Reset for Power-Loss Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing motor vehicle parking lock actuators require an independent power source for emergency mechanisms, which can fail if the vehicle's battery is drained, and may exit the P-stage undesirably before the emergency mechanism is available, posing safety risks.
Innovation Solution
An actuator design featuring a rotary element with control cams and a spring element that can preload and reset the P-stage independently, ensuring the spring element is preloaded before exiting the P-stage, using a drive shaft and actuating elements to transfer movement to the automatic gearbox, allowing the P-stage to be set and reset without external power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an independent power source is used for the emergency mechanism, then the parking lock can be set in emergency situations, but the system complexity increases and the emergency mechanism may fail if the battery is drained
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the spring element as a separate emergency mechanism that operates independently from the electrical actuator. The spring element is mechanically coupled to the actuating element through the rotary element and control cams, allowing it to function without requiring an independent power source. This reduces system complexity while maintaining emergency functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring element is automatically preloaded during normal operation when the actuator deactivates the parking lock. The control cams on the rotary element automatically engage the spring element's loading mechanism during the shifting operation, so the emergency mechanism prepares itself without external intervention. This self-service approach ensures readiness without additional power requirements.
2Reliability
If the P-stage is exited to preload the spring element, then the emergency mechanism becomes available, but an unsafe vehicle situation arises because the parking lock is deactivated
Solution Approach 1:
The spring element is preloaded during the normal deactivation sequence when the actuator intentionally exits the P-stage to engage other transmission stages. The control cams are designed so that the spring element loading occurs as part of the routine shifting operation, preparing the emergency mechanism in advance without requiring a separate safety-compromising step.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the spring element loading function with the normal actuator operation. The rotary element with control cams integrates both the actuating element control and the spring element loading into a single mechanical system. This allows the emergency mechanism to be prepared during routine operations without requiring separate actions that would compromise vehicle safety.
3Reliability
If a mechanical spring element is used for the emergency mechanism, then the parking lock can be set without power, but the spring element requires preloading that complicates the system operation
Solution Approach 1:
The spring element is automatically preloaded by the actuator's own operation through the control cams on the rotary element. When the actuator deactivates the parking lock to engage other stages, the control cams automatically engage the spring element's loading mechanism. This self-service approach eliminates the need for manual preloading or separate operational steps, simplifying the user interface while maintaining the power-independent emergency function.
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
Ensures the parking lock is always set and can be automatically reset, even in power failure situations, maintaining safety and operational integrity by using the spring element's resetting force to guide the actuating element back into the P-stage.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element (5), wherein the spring element (5) can be supportable on a housing component (16) of the actuator and can support itself on a second actuating element (17) designed in order to load the spring element (5)
Implementation Method 2
a rotary element (13) which can be driven using the drive shaft (1) and is mounted in a rotatable fashion, which is designed, on the one hand, with a first control cam (7) that is operatively connected to the first actuating element (3) and, on the other hand, with a second control cam (8) for the loading of the spring element (5)
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an actuator, comprising a drive (2) that drives a drive shaft (1), a first actuating element (3) operatively connected to the drive shaft (1) for actuating a switching apparatus, a spring element (5), which can be supported at one end on a housing component (16) of the actuator and is supported on the other end on a second actuating element (17) designed to load the spring element (5). The actuator according to the invention is characterized in that a rotatably mounted rotational element/gearwheel (13) that can be driven by means of the drive shaft (1) is provided, which rotational element has, on one side, a first control gate (7), which is operatively connected to the first actuating element (3) for actuation of the switching apparatus, and on the other side, a second control gate (8) for loading the spring element (5).