Transmission Shaft Locking Mechanism With Stabilized Guide Rail
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing locking mechanisms for transmission shafts in vehicles face challenges in maintaining precise positioning and withstanding significant forces, leading to potential deformation and reliability issues due to manufacturing tolerances and mechanical stresses.
Innovation Solution
A locking mechanism that incorporates a housing within the transmission housing to securely fit and stabilize the guide rail, preventing deformation and ensuring precise positioning, combined with a movable pawl and linear actuator system that reduces friction and wear through a cam follower mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a stamped sheet metal guide rail is used, then the manufacturing cost is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the guide rail deforms under mechanical stresses and positioning precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The guide rail is segmented into multiple sections that can be independently positioned and secured. Each section is separately adjustable, allowing precise positioning while maintaining the overall structural integrity. This segmentation enables the guide rail to accommodate manufacturing tolerances without compromising positioning precision.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary mounting structure is introduced between the stamped sheet metal guide rail and the final positioning point. This intermediary component compensates for deformations in the guide rail by providing an additional adjustment mechanism, ensuring that positioning precision is maintained despite the use of a cost-effective stamped guide rail.
2Ease of manufacture
If a stamped sheet metal guide rail is used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the guide rail deforms under mechanical stresses and reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure incorporates beforehand cushioning elements that absorb and distribute mechanical stresses before they can cause deformation of the stamped sheet metal guide rail. This cushioning effect prevents stress concentration and maintains the structural integrity and reliability of the guide rail under various mechanical loads.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide rail system uses a composite structure combining stamped sheet metal with reinforcing elements or coatings. This composite approach maintains the cost-effectiveness of the stamped guide rail while adding structural reinforcement to prevent deformation and improve reliability under mechanical stresses.
3Ease of manufacture
If manufacturing tolerances are not controlled, then production cost is reduced, but the angle between fixing surface and guide surface varies and positioning precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting structure incorporates dynamic adjustment mechanisms that allow the guide rail position to be fine-tuned after assembly. This dynamic capability compensates for variations in the angle between the fixing surface and guide surface caused by manufacturing tolerances, ensuring precise positioning without requiring tight manufacturing controls.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows for parameter changes in the mounting configuration to accommodate manufacturing tolerances. By providing adjustable mounting parameters such as position, angle, and orientation, the system can compensate for variations in the guide rail angle, maintaining positioning precision despite relaxed manufacturing tolerances.
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, economical, and high-load-capable locking mechanism that maintains precise positioning of the guide rail, preventing deformation and ensuring reliable locking and unlocking of the transmission shaft without excessive wear or force transmission.
Implementation Method 1
The movable carriage comprises a cam follower adapted to move on the cam surface in order to move the movable pawl from the released position to the locking position
Implementation Method 2
The movable carriage comprises a roller which cooperates with a cam surface of the pawl
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism comprising: - a transmission housing (1); - a movable pawl (34) comprising a locking finger (35), the movable pawl being pivotally mounted in a plane about a pivot axis on the transmission housing between a locking position in which the locking finger is engaged in the locking recess and a released position in which the locking finger is disengaged from said locking recess, the movable pawl comprising a cam surface, - a linear actuator (37) which moves, a movable carriage (38) guided by a guide rail (27), in which the movable carriage has a cam follower adapted to move on the cam surface, - a housing (2) formed in the transmission housing, in which the guide rail is fitted into the housing.