Shift-by-wire activation device and method for selecting driving positions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10352440-B2
Application number	US-201415027371-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2014
Priority date	Oct 10, 2013
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

A shift-by-wire actuator and a method for selecting drive positions of a motor vehicle transmission is provided. The actuator comprises an actuating field, in which a scrolling surface for selecting one of the drive positions, and a release button, which transmits a release signal based on an actuation, are disposed. The actuator is characterized in that the scrolling surface and the release button are coupled via a locking and releasing mechanism, such that a shift-effecting selection of at least one of the drive positions can be executed by manipulation of the scrolling surface after release by the locking and releasing mechanism, based on the release signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shift-by-wire actuator for selecting drive positions of a motor vehicle transmission, the actuator comprising:
an actuating field comprising:
a scrolling surface for selecting one of the drive positions, and
a release button which transmits a release signal based on an actuation,

wherein the scrolling surface and the release button are coupled via a locking and releasing mechanism, such that a shift-effecting selection of at least one of the drive positions can be executed by the scrolling surface only after releasing by the locking and releasing mechanism, based on a release signal,
further comprising a sensor device comprising at least one signal transmitter and signal receiver, wherein the signal transmitter is coupled to the scrolling surface and interacts with the signal receiver for detecting an actuation of the scrolling surface, and for transmitting a signal having data regarding a selected drive position derived from the actuation of the scrolling surface, wherein the signal having the data regarding the selected drive position causes a shifting of the motor vehicle transmission corresponding to the selected drive position, wherein the locking and releasing mechanism is configured to block and release the transmission of the signal having the data regarding a selected drive position, wherein the locking and releasing mechanism is disposed in a transmission path of the signal having the data regarding the selected drive position from the scrolling surface to the motor vehicle transmission, and the transmission of the signal having the data regarding the selected drive position is blocked at least until the release signal has been received by the locking and releasing mechanism,
wherein the release button is configured to transmit a blocking signal in response to a subsequent actuation, and the locking and releasing mechanism is configured to block a transmission of the signal having data regarding the selected drive position when or after the blocking signal has been received until another release signal has been received,
wherein the locking and releasing mechanism is configured to block a transmission of the signal having data regarding the selected drive position after a predefined time period has elapsed after receiving the release signal in the absence of a blocking signal.

2. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the release button is configured to transmit a release signal sustained for the time period of the actuation, and the locking and releasing mechanism is configured to allow a transmission of the signal having data regarding the selected drive position only for the time period of the transmission of the release signal.

3. The actuator according to claim 1 wherein the locking and releasing mechanism is formed by a moving locking element which is engaged with a scroll wheel disposed on the scrolling surface, wherein the moving locking element is configured to block a rotational movement of the scroll wheel in a starting position when the moving locking element is engaged with the scroll wheel and is configured to release the engagement for releasing the rotational movement of the scroll wheel based on the release signal.

4. The actuator according to claim 3 , wherein the scroll wheel is configured as a mono-stable wheel.

5. The actuator according to claim 3 , wherein the scroll wheel is configured as a multi-stable wheel.

6. The actuator according to claim 3 , wherein the moving locking element is moved by an electric drive.

7. The actuator according to claim 6 , wherein the moving locking element includes an anchor to engage the scroll wheel, wherein the anchor is configured for an extended position and a retracted position, wherein the anchor is in the extended position when the electric drive is in a currentless state and the anchor is in the retracted position when the electric drive is subjected to current.

8. The actuator according to claim 7 , wherein the scroll wheel includes at least one engagement point for the anchor for each drive position that can be selected with the scroll wheel.

9. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the release button is disposed in the actuating field for actuation by a thumb of a user's hand and the scrolling surface is disposed in the actuation field for actuation by another finger of the user's hand.

10. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the actuating field further comprises a wrist rest comprising the release button.

11. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the release button includes a fingerprint sensor for identifying a user of the actuator, wherein the release button is coupled to an identification device, which executes a comparison of the fingerprint recorded via the release button with a fingerprint stored in the identification device, and with a match, wherein a signal is emitted to the locking and releasing mechanism to release the transmission of the signal having the data regarding the selected drive position by the locking and releasing mechanism when the fingerprint recorded via the release button matches with a fingerprint stored in the identification device.

12. A method for selecting drive positions of a motor vehicle transmission with a shift-by-wire actuator according to claim 1 , the method comprising:
actuating the release button for releasing at least one transmission of data regarding a selected drive position based on an actuation of the scrolling surface, which selects a drive position depending on its actuation, and
selecting a drive position by actuating a scrolling surface.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of blocking at least one transmission of data regarding a selected drive position based on an actuation of the scrolling surface.

14. The actuator according to claim 1 , further comprising a display configured to display the selected drive position.

15. The actuator according to claim 14 , wherein the display is disposed in the field of vision of a driver of the motor vehicle.

16. The actuator according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor device is a Hall sensor with a permanent magnet or electromagnet as the signal transmitter and a Hall sensor as the signal receiver.

Assignees

• Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen

Inventors

• Fribus Vitali
• Kirilenko Alexander

Classifications

• F16H61/18

  Preventing unintentional or unsafe shift {, e.g. preventing manual shift from highest gear to reverse gear} · CPC title

• F16H59/0278

  Constructional features of the selector lever, e.g. grip parts, mounting or manufacturing · CPC title

• F16H61/22 Primary

  Locking {of the control input devices} (constructional features of locking or disabling mechanisms F16H63/34) · CPC title

• F16H59/08 Primary

  Range selector apparatus · CPC title

• B60R25/252 Primary

  Fingerprint recognition · CPC title