Vehicle range switching device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020370645-A1
Application number	US-202016880329-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 21, 2020
Priority date	May 22, 2019
Publication date	Nov 26, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A range switching device for switching between a plurality of shift ranges in a vehicle. In the range switching device, the shift ranges are switched depending on a rotational angle of a detent plate that has (i) a first engaged portion for maintaining an angle value of the rotational angle of the detent plate by which a parking range as one of the shift ranges is established in the vehicle and (ii) a second engaged portion for maintaining another angle value of the rotational angle of the detent plate by which a reverse running range as another one of the shift ranges is established in the vehicle. The first and second engaged portions are located in respective positions adjacent to each other in a circumferential direction about a rotational axis about which the detent plate is to be rotated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A range switching device for switching between a plurality of shift ranges in a vehicle, the range switching device comprising:
an electric motor; and a detent plate that is to be rotated by the electric motor about a rotational axis, such that the shift ranges are switched depending on a rotational angle of the detent plate, wherein, while the detent plate is rotated from a state in which any one of the shift ranges is established in the vehicle, the others of the shift ranges are sequentially established in the vehicle, and when the detent plate has been rotated by 360 degrees from the state, the any one of the shift ranges is returned to be established in the vehicle, wherein the detent plate includes a plurality of engaged portions provided in an outer peripheral end portion of the detent plate, such that the engaged portions are arranged in a circumferential direction about the rotational axis, and such that each of the shift ranges is established in the vehicle when the rotational angle of the detent plate is a predetermined corresponding angle value with a corresponding one of the engaged portions being positioned in a reference position in the circumferential direction, wherein the range switching device further comprises an engaging member, such that, when each of the engaged portions is positioned in the reference position, the engaging member is to be brought into engagement with the each of the engaged portions for thereby maintaining the predetermined corresponding angle value of the rotational angle of the detent plate, wherein the shift ranges include a parking range and a forward running range, such that running of the vehicle is stopped when the parking range is established in the vehicle, and such that the vehicle is enabled to run in a forward direction when the forward running range is established in the vehicle, wherein the engaged portions include a first engaged portion and a second engaged portion, such that the parking range is established in the vehicle when the first engaged portion is positioned in the reference position, and such that the forward running range is established in the vehicle when the second engaged portion is positioned in the reference position, and wherein the first and second engaged portions are located in respective positions adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, such that the parking range and the forward running range are to be switched directly to each other by rotation of the detent plate without via any other of the shift ranges that is other than the parking range and the forward running range.

2 . The range switching device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of shift ranges include, in addition to the parking range and the forward running range, a reverse running range and a drive-force transmission cut-off range, such that the vehicle is enabled to run in a reverse direction when the reverse running range is established in the vehicle, and such that transmission of a drive force is cut off when the drive-force transmission cut-off range is established in the vehicle, wherein the range switching device further comprises: a parking lock mechanism; a valve mechanism; a first link rod connected to the detent plate to operate the parking lock mechanism; and a second link rod connected to the detent plate to operate the valve mechanism, wherein each of the first and second link rods is to be is reciprocatingly moved by rotation of the detent plate, wherein the parking lock mechanism includes a switching member that is connected to the first link rod, such that the parking lock mechanism is placed in one of a plurality of operating states thereof which corresponds to a position of the switching member, and wherein the valve mechanism includes a spool valve member that is connected to the second link rod, such that the valve mechanism is placed in one of a plurality of operating states thereof which corresponds to a position of the spool valve member, and such that each of the drive-force transmission cut-off range, the forward running range and the reverse running range is to be established depending on the one of the plurality of operating states of the valve mechanism.

3 . The range switching device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the plurality of engaged portions include four engaged portions which are arranged in the circumferential direction at an angular pitch of 90 degrees, and which correspond to the parking range, the reverse running range, the drive-force transmission cut-off range and the forward running range, respectively, wherein the four engaged portions includes, in addition to the first and second engaged portions, a third engaged portion corresponding to the drive-force transmission cut-off range, such that the drive-force transmission cut-off range is established in the vehicle when the third engaged portion is positioned in the reference position, wherein the first and third engaged portions are located in respective positions diagonal to each other in the circumferential direction, and wherein, when each of the first and second link rods is reciprocatingly moved by rotation of the detent plate, reciprocating movements of the respective first and second link rods are offset in phase from each other by 90 degrees.

4 . The range switching device according to claim 1 , further comprising an absolute angle sensor configured to detect the rotational angle of the detent plate.

5 . The range switching device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the plurality of engaged portions are respective recessed portions, and the engaging member is a pressing member, and wherein, when each of the recessed portions is positioned in the reference position, the pressing member is to be pressed against the each of the recessed portions.

6 . The range switching device according to claim 1 , further comprising a parking lock mechanism including a switching member; a valve mechanism including a spool valve member; a first link rod connected to the detent plate to operate the parking lock mechanism; and a second link rod connected to the detent plate to operate the valve mechanism,
wherein each of the first and second link rods includes a first member, a second member, and a joint portion connecting the first and second members, wherein the first member of each of the first and second link rods is connected at one of longitudinally opposite end portions thereof to one of longitudinally opposite end portions of the second member of the each of the first and second link rods through the joint portion of the each of the first and second link rods, and is connected at the other of the longitudinally opposite end portions thereof to a connecting portion which is connected to the detent plate and which is located in a position offset from the rotational axis, wherein the second member of each of the first and second link rods is connected at the other of the longitudinally opposite end portions thereof to a corresponding one of the switching member of the parking lock mechanism and the spool valve member of the valve mechanism, such that the rotation of the detent plate causes the second member and the joint portion to be linearly moved together with the corresponding one of the switching member and the spool valve member along a straight line passing through the rotational axis, and causes the first member to be pivoted about the joint portion, and wherein each of the parking lock mechanism and the valve mechanism is to be placed in one of a plurality of operating states thereof which corresponds to a position of a corresponding one of the switching member and the spool valve member relative to another member of the each of the parking lock mechanism and the valve mechanism in a direction

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ozawa Kazuhiro
• Ozeki Takahito

Classifications

• F16H61/18 Primary

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

• F16H63/38

  Detents · CPC title

• F16H61/32 Primary

  Electric motors  {, actuators or related electrical control means}  therefor · CPC title

• F16H2061/326

  Actuators for range selection, i.e. actuators for controlling the range selector or the manual range valve in the transmission · CPC title

• F16H63/3466

  using electric motors · CPC title