Parking mechanism and method of operation thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11378185-B2
Application number	US-201916599539-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 11, 2019
Priority date	Oct 11, 2019
Publication date	Jul 5, 2022
Grant date	Jul 5, 2022

Abstract

A parking mechanism for use in a vehicle and method of operation thereof. The parking mechanism includes one or more actuation mechanisms, a parking pawl and a parking gear. At least a portion of the one or more actuation mechanisms are drivingly connected to at least a portion of a cam. The parking pawl has one or more parking pawl teeth extending therefrom that are selectively engagable with at least a portion of one or more parking gear teeth extending from an outer surface of a body portion of the parking gear. The parking pawl also includes a parking pawl pin aperture having a size and shape needed to receive and/or retain at least a portion of a parking pawl pin therein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A parking mechanism, comprising:
one or more actuation mechanisms drivingly connected to at least a portion of a cam;
a parking pawl having a first end portion and a second end portion with one or more parking pawl teeth extending outward from at least a portion of an inner surface of said first end portion;
wherein said second end portion of said parking pawl has a parking pawl pin aperture having a size and shape to receive and/or retain at least a portion of a parking pawl pin therein; and
wherein said first end portion of said parking pawl includes a rolling element extending from an outer surface of said first end portion and engageable with at least a portion of said cam; and

a parking gear having one or more parking gear teeth extending outward from at least a portion of a body portion with an outer surface;
wherein at least a portion of said one or more parking pawl teeth of said parking pawl are selectively engagable with at least a portion of said one or more parking gear teeth;
wherein said parking mechanism has a first engaged position and a second engaged position;
wherein, in said first engaged position, at least a portion of said one or more parking pawl teeth are engaged with at least a portion of a portion of said parking gear teeth having a substantially involute or a substantially evolvent shape that is derived from a base circle diameter of said parking gear; and
wherein, in said second engaged position, at least a portion of said one or more parking pawl teeth are engaged with at least a portion of an additional portion of said parking gear teeth having a substantially involute or a substantially evolvent shape that is derived from said base circle diameter of said parking gear.

2. The parking mechanism of claim 1 , wherein said one or more actuation mechanisms are one or more actuators, one or more electric motors, one or more pneumatic actuators, and/or one or more hydraulic actuators.

3. The parking mechanism of claim 1 , wherein said parking mechanism has a disengaged position;
wherein, in said disengaged position, said parking pawl is not engaged with said parking gear;
wherein, in said first engaged position, said parking mechanism has a first force vector; and
wherein, in said second engaged position, said parking mechanism has a second force vector.

4. The parking mechanism of claim 3 , wherein said first force vector of said parking mechanism extends from a first contact point between said one or more parking gear teeth of said parking pawl and said one or more parking gear teeth of said parking gear toward said parking pawl pin; and
wherein said second force vector of said parking mechanism extends from a second contact point between said one or more parking gear teeth of said parking pawl and said one or more parking gear teeth of said parking gear toward said parking pawl pin.

5. The parking mechanism of claim 3 , wherein said first force vector of said parking mechanism is disposed a distance D 2 from a center C 1 of said parking pawl pin and wherein said second force vector of said parking mechanism is disposed a distance D 3 from said center C 1 of said parking pawl pin;
wherein said distance D 2 is measured from said center C 1 of said parking pawl pin to a first point P 1 where said first force vector extends through said parking pawl pin; and
wherein said distance D 3 is measured from said center C 1 of said parking pawl pin to a second point P 2 where said second force vector extends through said parking pawl pin.

6. The parking mechanism of claim 5 , wherein said distance D 2 is substantially equal to said distance D 3 .

7. The parking mechanism of claim 3 , wherein said first force vector of said parking mechanism extends above a center C 1 of said parking pawl pin; and
wherein said second force vector of said parking mechanism extends below said center C 1 of said parking pawl pin.

8. The parking mechanism of claim 1 , wherein said one or more parking gear teeth of said parking gear have a cross-sectional profile or shape comprising, in order, a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, a fourth portion, a fifth portion, a sixth portion, and/or a seventh portion;
wherein said second portion and said sixth portion of said cross-sectional profile or shape of said one or more parking gear teeth extend outward away from said body portion of said parking gear from an end of said first portion and said seventh portion of said cross-sectional profile or shape of said one or more parking gear teeth respectively; and
wherein said second portion and said sixth portion of said cross-sectional profile or shape of said one or more parking gear teeth have a substantially involute or a substantially evolvent shape that is derived from said base circle diameter of said parking gear.

9. The parking mechanism of claim 1 , wherein said one or more parking gear teeth of said parking gear have a cross-sectional profile or shape comprising, in order, a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, a fourth portion, a fifth portion, a sixth portion, and/or a seventh portion;
wherein a transition of said first portion to said second portion and a transition from said seventh portion to said sixth portion of said cross-sectional profile or shape of said one or more parking gear teeth are disposed along a substantially continuous radius R 4 from a theoretical center TC 2 of said parking gear, wherein said radius R 4 defines the base circle diameter of the parking gear.

10. The parking mechanism of claim 9 , wherein said radius R 4 is larger than a radius R 3 of said outer surface of said body portion of said parking gear defining a root circle diameter of said parking gear.

11. The parking mechanism of claim 1 , wherein said one or more parking pawl teeth of said parking pawl have a cross-sectional profile or shape comprising a first substantially straight portion, a first transition portion, a second substantially straight portion, a second transition portion, and/or a third substantially straight portion.

12. The parking mechanism of claim 11 ,
wherein, in said first engaged position, at least a portion of said second transition portion and/or said third substantially straight portion of said cross-sectional profile or shape of said one or more parking pawl teeth are in direct contact with at least a portion of a portion of said one or more parking gear teeth having a substantially involute or a substantially evolvent shape that is derived from said base circle diameter of said parking gear; and
wherein, in said second engaged position, at least a portion of said first substantially straight portion and/or said first transition portion of said cross-sectional profile or shape of said one or more parking pawl teeth are in direct contact with at least a portion of an additional portion of said one or more parking gear teeth having a substantially involute or a substantially evolvent shape that is derived from said base circle diameter of said parking gear.

13. A parking mechanism, comprising:
one or more actuation mechanisms drivingly connected to at least a portion of a cam;
a parking pawl having a first end portion and a second end portion with one or more parking pawl teeth extending outward from at least a portion of an inner surface of said first end portion;
wherein said second end portion of said parking pawl has a parking pawl pin aperture having a size and shape to receive and/or retain at least a portion of a parking pawl pin therein; and
wherein said first end portion of said parking pawl includes a rolling element extending from an outer surface of sai

Assignees

• Dana Heavy Vehicle Sys Group

Inventors

• Keller Robert D
• Wright Ned W
• Gries Aaron D
• Vailliencourt Robert L
• Knapke Brian V

Classifications

• F16H63/3425 Primary

  characterised by pawls or wheels · CPC title

• F16H63/18

  the final actuating mechanism comprising cams · CPC title

• F16H63/3433 Primary

  Details of latch mechanisms, e.g. for keeping pawls out of engagement · CPC title

• F16H63/3416

  Parking lock mechanisms or brakes in the transmission · CPC title

• F16H2061/243

  Cams or detent arrays for guiding and providing feel · CPC title