Parking lock device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10837552-B2
Application number	US-201916460374-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 2, 2019
Priority date	Sep 21, 2018
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

A parking lock device includes a parking mechanism, a lock state switching member, a lock-released state keeper, a selector, a vehicle speed detector, a switching controller, and a keeping controller. The switching controller is configured to, when a parking range is selected, stop supplying hydraulic pressure to the lock state switching member, and when a shift range other than the parking range is selected, supply the hydraulic pressure. The keeping controller is configured to, when a shift range other than the parking range is selected and a vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed, supply power to the lock-released state keeper to keep lock of a parking gear released, and when a shift range other than the parking range is selected and when the vehicle speed is lower than the predetermined speed, stop supplying the power to the lock-released state keeper.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A parking lock device comprising:
a parking mechanism comprising
a parking gear, and
a parking pawl configured to engage with the parking gear to lock the parking gear to change an automatic transmission into a parking state;

a lock state switching member configured to lock the parking gear when supply of hydraulic pressure is stopped, the lock state switching member being configured to, when hydraulic pressure is supplied, release lock of the parking gear by driving the parking pawl with pressing force generated by the hydraulic pressure;
a lock-released state keeper configured to,
when powered, keep the lock state switching member releasing the lock of the parking gear, and
when unpowered, stop keeping the lock state switching member releasing the lock of the parking gear;

a selector configured to receive operation to select a shift range of the automatic transmission;
a vehicle speed detector configured to detect a speed of a vehicle;
a switching controller configured to, when a parking range is selected, stop supplying the hydraulic pressure to the lock state switching member, and when any of shift ranges other than the parking range is selected, supply the hydraulic pressure to the lock state switching member; and
a keeping controller configured to,
when any of the shift ranges other than the parking range is selected and the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed, supply power to the lock-released state keeper to keep the lock of the parking gear released, and
when any of the shift ranges other than the parking range is selected and the vehicle speed is lower than the predetermined speed, stop supplying the power to the lock-released state keeper to stop keeping the lock of the parking gear released; and

a braking operation detector configured to detect braking operation of the vehicle, wherein the keeping controller is configured to,
(i) when any of the shift ranges other than the parking range is selected and the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than the predetermined speed, or (ii) when any of the shift ranges other than the parking range is selected, the vehicle speed is lower than the predetermined speed, and the braking operation is not detected, supply the power to the lock-released state keeper to keep the lock of the parking gear released, and
when any of the shift ranges other than the parking range is selected, the vehicle speed is lower than the predetermined speed, and the braking operation is being detected, stop supplying the power to the lock-released state keeper to stop keeping the lock of the parking gear released.

2. The parking lock device according to claim 1 , wherein
the lock state switching member comprises a piston axially movable, the piston comprising an outer circumferential surface formed with a recess, and
the lock-released state keeper comprises an electromagnetic solenoid comprising a plunger configured to protrude outward when powered, to fit in the recess of the piston.

3. The parking lock device according to claim 2 , wherein
the lock state switching member comprises
an oil chamber disposed on one end of the piston, and
a spring disposed on another end of the piston, and

the lock state switching member is configured to switch a lock state of the parking gear by making the piston axially move in accordance with balance between pressing force generated by hydraulic pressure supplied to the oil chamber and urging force of the spring.

4. The parking lock device according to claim 1 , wherein
the lock state switching member comprises a piston axially movable, the piston comprising an outer circumferential surface formed with a recess, and
the lock-released state keeper comprises an electromagnetic solenoid comprising a plunger configured to protrude outward when powered, to fit in the recess of the piston.

5. The parking lock device according to claim 4 , wherein
the lock state switching member comprises
an oil chamber disposed on one end of the piston, and
a spring disposed on another end of the piston, and

the lock state switching member is configured to switch a lock state of the parking gear by making the piston axially move in accordance with balance between pressing force generated by hydraulic pressure supplied to the oil chamber and urging force of the spring.

6. A parking lock device comprising:
a parking mechanism comprising
a parking gear, and
a parking pawl configured to engage with the parking gear to lock the parking gear to change an automatic transmission into a parking state;

a lock state switching member configured to lock the parking gear when supply of hydraulic pressure is stopped, the lock state switching member being configured to, when hydraulic pressure is supplied, release lock of the parking gear by driving the parking pawl with pressing force generated by the hydraulic pressure;
a lock-released state keeper configured to,
when powered, keep the lock state switching member releasing the lock of the parking gear, and
when unpowered, stop keeping the lock state switching member releasing the lock of the parking gear;

a selector configured to receive operation to select a shift range of the automatic transmission;
a vehicle speed detector configured to detect a speed of a vehicle;
circuitry configured to
when a parking range is selected, stop supplying the hydraulic pressure to the lock state switching member, and when any of shift ranges other than the parking range is selected, supply the hydraulic pressure to the lock state switching member,
when any of the shift ranges other than the parking range is selected and the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed, supply power to the lock-released state keeper to keep the lock of the parking gear released, and
when any of the shift ranges other than the parking range is selected and the vehicle speed is lower than the predetermined speed, stop supplying the power to the lock-released state keeper to stop keeping the lock of the parking gear released; and

a braking operation detector configured to detect braking operation of the vehicle, wherein the circuitry is configured to,
(i) when any of the shift ranges other than the parking range is selected and the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than the predetermined speed, or (ii) when any of the shift ranges other than the parking range is selected, the vehicle speed is lower than the predetermined speed, and the braking operation is not detected, supply the power to the lock-released state keeper to keep the lock of the parking gear released, and
when any of the shift ranges other than the parking range is selected, the vehicle speed is lower than the predetermined speed, and the braking operation is being detected, stop supplying the power to the lock-released state keeper to stop keeping the lock of the parking gear released.

Assignees

• Subaru Corp

Inventors

• Kasami Seiya
• Tsuji Taichi

Classifications

• F16H63/3491 Primary

  Emergency release or engagement of parking locks or brakes · CPC title

• F16H61/18

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

• F16H63/3408 Primary

  the locking mechanism being moved by the final actuating mechanism · CPC title

• F16H63/3483 Primary

  with hydraulic actuating means · CPC title

• F16H59/44

  dependent on machine speed {, e.g. the vehicle speed} (F16H59/46 takes precedence) · CPC title