Planetary Parking Actuator With Pawl Engagement Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional parking mechanisms in vehicles are prone to back driving, are unreliable, and lack accurate engagement determination, diagnostic capabilities, and manual operation functionalities.
Innovation Solution
An actuation mechanism featuring a sun gear connected to planetary gears, a carrier, and a fixed non-rotating ring gear, with a cam system and sensor members for accurate parking pawl engagement and diagnostic monitoring, preventing back driving and enhancing operational reliability and manual control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional parking mechanisms are used, then the structure is simple, but the mechanism is easily back driven and unreliable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a planetary gear system with a sun gear, planetary gears, and a ring gear that can dynamically adapt its configuration. The mechanism transitions between different operational states (parking engaged, parking disengaged, neutral) by selectively locking or unlocking specific gear elements, providing both reliability against back-driving and operational flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cam mechanism as an intermediary element between the motor and the parking pawl. The cam converts rotational motion into the linear motion required to engage or disengage the parking pawl, while also providing mechanical advantage to prevent back-driving. This intermediary mechanism enhances reliability without requiring direct motor-to-pawl connection.
2Measurement precision
If conventional parking mechanisms are used, then the device is simple to manufacture, but it lacks accurate engagement determination and diagnostic capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates sensor members that detect the position and engagement state of the parking pawl, providing feedback to the control system. This feedback mechanism enables accurate determination of whether the parking pawl is properly engaged with the parking gear, allowing the system to verify parking status and provide diagnostic information about mechanism health and operational state.
3Ease of operation
If conventional parking mechanisms are used, then the structure is simple, but it lacks manual operation functionalities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the actuation mechanism to serve multiple functions: it can be operated automatically by the motor for normal parking engagement and disengagement, and also allows for manual operation when needed. The planetary gear system and cam mechanism are configured to respond to both motor-driven actuation and manual input, providing operational versatility without requiring separate manual and automatic systems.
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 provides a reliable, accurately engaging, and diagnostically capable parking mechanism that prevents back driving and offers manual operation, ensuring robust engagement and operational reliability.
Implementation Method 1
At least a portion of the sun gear is drivingly connected to at least a portion of one or more planetary gears. The one or more planetary gears are drivingly connected to at least a portion of a carrier, a fixed non-rotating ring gear and an output gear.
Data Source
AI summary
An actuation mechanism for use in a vehicle. The actuation mechanism includes one or more motors having an output shaft with a sun gear. At least a portion of the sun gear is drivingly connected to at least a portion of one or more planetary gears. The one or more planetary gears are drivingly connected to at least a portion of a carrier, a fixed non-rotating ring gear and an output gear. The disclosure further relates to a method of operating an actuation mechanism that is drivingly connected to at least a portion of a vehicle parking mechanism. The method includes providing an actuation mechanism, providing a parking mechanism and one or more sensors that are operably configured to collect an amount of data to be analyzed. Based on the data analyzed, one or more failures within the parking mechanism may be determined and an alert may be sent.