AU775013B2 - Improvements in a device to drive automotive gear box - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION NAME OF APPLICANT(S): PaoloPaparni ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys 1 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.

INVENTION TITLE: Improvements in a device to drive automotive gear box The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- Field of the Invention This present report of patent for utility model is related to a system of outside control of automotive gear box, through cables of the "push-pull", or hybrid types, namely, a cable and rod, or conventional with rods, constituted by a control level which is joined through a spherical joint in which the sphere is fixed to the frame through a support and the bushing for the seating of the sphere is fixed to the level; by a transmission cable which dives the gearing of the gears in the gear box, and which is driven directly by the angular longitudinal movement of the gear change lever; and by a selection cable which controls the selection the gears in the box, and which is driven by the transversal angular movement of said lever, through a second spherical joint; and specially is related to an external gear control system where, in said second spherical joint, the sphere is fixed to an angular arm connected to the selection cable, and is driven by the transversal angular movement of the gear change lever through a seating bushing which is fixed to the same lever.

Description of the State of Art As it is fully known, the change of speed or gears in a vehicle is controlled by the driver through a control system, namely, a lever and, when the gear box is far from the driver, a system of rods or cables which transmit the movement of the lever to the same box, confining the gears in such a way to establish the S"intended gear rates between the engine and the driving wheels.

The movements of the gear lever are normally previously established in such a way that the angular transferal movement of the lever, namely, the movement in a perpendicular direction to the longitudinal of the vehicle, determines the gears to be geared through a selection rod or a cable, and the longitudinal angular movement, namely, in the direction of the movement of the vehicle, in the same lever, drives the gearing of the gears through a transmission rod or a cable.

The external control of the gear box through cables is the system which offers better flexibility, and is specially used in the cars with transversal engines. In this construction, the selection cable and the transmission of gearing cable connect the control system to the retransmission system of the gear box which, following the commands received by the lever, connects the gears in such way to obtain the gear relation desired by the driver.

In order to perform such longitudinal and transversal movements, the gear lever shall be free to move angularly in different levels, around a fixed point which has to be duly structured to resist the forces applied by the end of the driver in order to overcome the resistances of the transmission system. For this purpose, the lever is jointed usually through a spherical joint or another type of joint, such as universal joint. In the most common case of a spherical joint, the sphere is fixed to the lever and the seat is fixed to the base of the gear control device.

The longitudinal or gear movement of the lever is transmitted directly to the transmission element S* through a fork fixed to said lever, in which there is assembled the end of the transmission element. Said construction, though simple, brings many construction difficulties, for it requires that the lever be extended below the joining sphere in order to form the fork or, in other cases, it requires the welding of the fork to the lever rod, requirements which are costly to the manufacture process, and arm the strength of the whole system. The construction and assembly of the sphere seat are also complicated and expensive, when *the rod of the lever continues through both sides of *the sphere.

The transversal or selection movement of the lever shall be converted into longitudinal movement, so that the two elements of the selection and of transmission may be placed parallel one to the other, so that they may go side by side to the gear box. This conversion of movement is usually made through an angular "L" shaped arm with a joint in its angle on a transferal axis, in which lower end is assembled the selection cable. The other end of said arm is driven by the transversal angular movement of the gear lever or by the selection sphere, which is normally laterally fixed to the same lever.

During the transversal angular movement of the lever, the centers of the selection sphere, solidary to the lever, and the seat of the same sphere in the angular arm, have courses which coincide only along a small portion, and then separating one from the other.

In order to optimize the movement of the selection and to reduce the axial course of the sphere in the bushing, the center of the selection sphere shall be QAOPERGCP%42331C docL8 )504 3 located preferably, but not necessarily, perpendicularly to the lever, which passes through the centre of the joint sphere of the same lever.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A satisfactory solution to simplify the construction of the gear exchange control system and to minimise the above described critical points, is the solution which was priory submitted in the application MU 7401842-6, in which the articulation sphere of the lever is fixed, attached to the support of the external control of the gear box, and the seat of said sphere is within a cylindrical box fixed to the lever, which moves around the fixed sphere in order to drive the transmission of the selection and gearing elements.

Said solution simplified the manufacture of the lever, the placing of the fork to the transmission element, and allowed the use of a larger number of materials to manufacture the lever, therefore providing a reduction of manufacture costs.

The selection movement is, in this case, transmitted to the angular arm by a pin with spherical head which is assembled in said box fixed to the lever, in a safer construction, 25 assuring the perpendicularly, rigidity of fixation and a precise positioning of the selection sphere in respect to the angular arm.

The manufacture experience of the above submitted model 30 suggested, later, the development of an improved model which o allows the construction concept, in a more complete way, of Sthe prior invention, which is the object of this novelty.

Q XOPEMCPIA2335c dm-1 WS/04 3A Accordingly the present invention provides improvements in a device to drive automotive gear box of the type in which the change of gears is controlled by the control lever through cables or rods, in which the longitudinal angular movement of the control lever drives the gearing through transmission element and the transversal angular movement of the same lever selects the gears through another transmission element, with the control lever moving angularly through a spherical joint the sphere of which is fixed and with the seat fixed to a housing box fixed to the control lever, and with the transversal angular movement of said lever being transmitted to the selection transmission element through a second spherical joint and an angular arm, characterised by the fact that in said second joint the selection sphere which constitutes the head of the pin is assembled on an end of the angular arm which in its turn are jointed to the shaft transmits the movement to the selection transmission element assembled to the other end of the same arm.

The fixing of the selection sphere to the angular arm and the incorporation of the seats of both spheres in a single housing box allows another simplification in construction and the consequent cost reduction and a better operationally of the system.

The construction is more compact, strong and offers the possibility of a producing the set of lever and joints in one single piece, in material of easy configuration, such as thermoplastic or aluminum and allows, and solves in a natural way the problem relative to the position and perpendicularly of the selection sphere, for the two seating bushings are automatically aligned within a single housing box for the spheres.

In the preferred configuration of this construction, shown in the figures attached hereto, the bushing which houses the selection sphere is internally profiled in such a way to allow the free displacement, without any play, of the sphere along the axis of said bushing, and compensates the difference between the courses of the selection sphere and its seat.

Description of the Drawings The characteristics, purposes and advantages of the device submitted in this patent application shall become clear through the detailed description of the drawings of the preferred configuration, submitted attached hereto as non limitative example, where: Figure 1 is a cross section of the external control device of the exchange system by cables, showing the joints of the system and the selection sphere attached to the arm, which is the object of this model of utility; Figure 2 is a lateral cross section view of the same device, showing the driving mechanism of the gearing and selection cables; Figures 3 and 4 show the same external control device represented in figures 1 and 2 object of this model of utility, showing the movement of the selection of gears when the lever is driven towards the right, transversally to the longitudinal axes of the vehicle; Figure 5 is a cross section of the same device of external control of the gear box, showing an option of articulation of selection which avoids the premature wear of this articulation busing in more common commands.

Referring, more specifically, to figures 1 and 2 show the main components of the gear control, in the preferred configuration of this model of utility.

The lever of command 1 is articulated through the spherical joint 2 formed by a sphere 3 which is fixed to the spherical head pin 4 foxed to the support 5 of gear exchange control, and by a seat of the sphere constituted by a seat bushing 6 which is part of the housing box 7 connected to the lever 1 and to the fork 8.

In the selection spherical joint 9 of the sphere seat of the selection 10 is constituted by a bushing with seat 11 which is part of the same housing box 7 fixed to a lever 1, and the sphere of the selection 10 is fixed with the pen of spherical head 12 assembled on an end of the angular selection arm 13 which has and "L" shape, and is jointed in its vertex on the shaft 14 fixed to the support 5 of the external control of the gear box.

*The operation diagram of the external control is normally shown in such a way that the transversal movements of the control lever 1 select the gears which have to be geared, and the longitudinal movements drive the gearing of the selected gears.

To each transversal position of the lever 1, namely, in the right side, central or left side positions, corresponds a plane of gearing of two gears: one forward and another to the rear. The neutral position corresponds to the central position, in the center of the crossed movements of the lever 1. When non gear is geared, a system of springs in the gear exchange box or in the control system, forces the lever 1 to return to the neutral position.

In the device shown in figures 1 and 2 the driver selects one of the levels of gearing of the gears displacing in transversal direction the lever 1 and describing the angles to the left 15 or to the right 16 sides, and then gears one of the different gears in the selected level, displacing the lever 1 in the longitudinal direction, describing the forward 17 and rear 18 angles.

When moving forward in the longitudinal plan, the lever 1 moves around the spherical joint 2 n order to make an angle 17 to which corresponds, in the opposite direction, a displacement 19 of the end of the cable which controls the gearing in the gear box. Through the cable 20 is transmitted to the gear box the control to gear one of the two corresponding gears to the gearing level selected above.

In order to gear another corresponding gear, the lever 1 shall be moved longitudinally rearwards describing an angle 18 and producing in the cable 20 a displacement 21 forwards.

The selection of gears, or more specifically, the selection of the plane corresponding to the intended gear, is achieved by the transversal movements of the control lever 1. The transversal angular movement or 16 of the lever 2 causes the same angular movements and 16 of the central shaft 22 of the sphere housing box 7, which is connected and perpendicular to said lever.

This movement displaces, downwards, or upwards, the selection sphere 10 which moves in the seat bushing 11 the housing box 7 and causes the respective rotation around the shaft 14 of the angular arm of the selection 13, which transforms the vertical movement of the *..selection sphere 10 in the horizontal movement, which is transmitted to the selection cable 23, mounted jointly in the lower end of the angular arm 13.

The configuration assumed by the external control device upon the selection a given gear is shown in figure 3 of the transversal plan and in t figure 4 of the plan longitudinal of the vehicle.

In figures 3 and 4 we notice that a transversal angular *displacement, to the right side 16 of the control lever 1 causes the same angle 16 in the central axis 22 of the housing box 7 and forces an upward displacement 24 of the center of selection sphere 10 and of the end of the angular arm 13. Such displacement causes a rotation and the horizontal displacement 25 in the other end of the same arm 13, through the selection cable 23 said movement drives in the gear box the desired selection.

The corresponding movement to the angle 15 of the lever 1 would cause the same results, in the opposite sense.

It is possible to see in figure 3 that after the angular displacement of the housing box 7, the position relative to the selection sphere 10 and the seat busing 11 is not the same shown in the central position of the same housing box, as per figure 1.

along the angular displacement 16, the center of the selection sphere 10 moved in the vertical plan and Q:\OPERMGCP 2335C dm- I M514 -7longitudinal plan 26 perpendicularly to the rotation axis 14 of the angular arm 13, while the point corresponding to the axis 22 in the seat bushing 11 moved in a circular course 27 contained within a transversal plan which passes through the centre of the articulation sphere 3.

The transversal movements of the lever 1 to select the gears cause, as a consequence, an axial displacement of the selection sphere 10 within the seat bushing 11. In the constructive configuration of figures 1 to 4, the seat bushing 11 is internally profiled in such a way to allow the axial displacement of the selection sphere 10 with a minimum of effort and without losing the precision of selection movements.

In the commands which are requested to many times, it is possible to use the solution of figure 5, where the bushing 28 fixed jointly to the selection sphere 10, slides with its external surface in the corresponding internal surface of the housing box The spherical seat of the bushing 28 increases the contact area between the bushing and the sphere, cutting down the contact pressure and increasing the durability of the selection joint in the control systems subject to more wear.

i It is understood that the submitted solution may suffer alterations and changes in its configuration, provided they do not change the purposes of the model of utility herein submitted.

.oo• The reference numerals in the following claims do not in any way limit the scope of the respective claims.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, 35 and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

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Claims (5)

1. "IMPROVEMENTS IN A DEVICE TO DRIVE AUTOMOTIVE GEAR BOX" of the type in which the change of gears is controlled by the control lever through cables or rods, in which the longitudinal angular movement of the control lever drives the gearing through transmission element and the transversal angular movement of the same lever selects the gears through another transmission element with the control lever moving angularly through a spherical joint the sphere of which is fixed and with the seat fixed to a housing box fixed to the control lever and with the transversal angular movement of said lever being transmitted to the selection transmission element (23) through a second spherical joint and an angular arm (13), characterized by the fact that in said second joint (9) the selection sphere (10) which constitutes the head of the pin (12) is assembled on an end of the angular arm (13) which in its turn are jointed to the shaft (14) transmits the movement to the selection transmission element (23) assembled to the other end of the same arm (13)

2. "IMPROVEMENTS IN A DEVICE TO DRIVE AUTOMOTIVE GEAR BOX" as per the terms of claim 1, characterized by the fact that the seat (11) of the selection sphere (10) as well as the seat of the joining sphere of the lever are incorporated in one single housing box for the sphere which fixed to the control lever (1) and to the fork which transmits the longitudinal movements of the lever to the gearing transmission element

3. "IMPROVEMENTS IN A DEVICE TO DRIVE AUTOMOTIVE GEAR BOX" as per the terms of claim 1, characterized by the fact that the seat (11) of the selection sphere (10) is profiled internally, in such a way to allow freedom of axial movements of said sphere (10) within the seat and in such a way to compensate the existing difference between the plan of rotation of lever fixed to the seat and the rotation plan of the angular arm connected to the selection sphere

4. "IMPROVEMENTS IN A DEVICE TO DRIVE AUTOMOTIVE GEAR BOX" as per the terms of claim 1, characterized by the fact that, in another configuration of the same model and in case of too often requested movements, the selection sphere (10) is contained within a bushing (28) which, on its turn, slides within the housing box with the purpose of reducing the value of the contact pressure of the selection sphere (10) thanks to the increasing of the contact area between the sphere and the bushing (28) Q \OPER\GCP\4233 Sc dmc. 1W5,04

9- A gear box substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 18th day of May, 2004 PAOLO PAPARONI By His Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON CAVE 4. *0 0 2 @00 0 00 .e 0 0 0 0 V 0 .P 0 00 *0 00. *0.0 0.00 44 0 V V 00 0 0 0001 0 0 009' 0000 Oa *0 00 .0.0. 0