EP2054645A1

EP2054645A1 - Actuating device for motor vehicle gearboxes

Info

Publication number: EP2054645A1
Application number: EP07785699A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Andreas Giefer; Jörg Meyer; Ludger Rake
Original assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
Current assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG
Priority date: 2006-08-25
Filing date: 2007-08-07
Publication date: 2009-05-06
Also published as: CN101506547B; KR20090042809A; JP2010501403A; US20090266193A1; CN101506547A; US8250943B2; WO2008022618A1; DE102006039860B3

Abstract

The invention relates to an actuating device for motor vehicle gearboxes, in particular an automatic gearbox. Said actuating device comprises a selection lever (1), a transmitting mechanism for sensing or transmitting the shifting command from the actuation device to the motor vehicle gearbox, and an articulation device for shifting the mounting of the selection lever (1) on at least one displacement plane. Said actuating device is characterised in that the articulation device comprises at least one four-bar mechanism (2) that is displaceably mounted about the selection lever (1). Said claimed actuation device has, in relation to prior art, advantages in particular in relation to size, has improved ergonomic properties and also in relation to the quality of the force-path-course on the selection lever, in addition to sensing and signal transmission. Due to the invention, visual shift paths or shift gates and also actuation devices are also improved in that they are compact.

Description

Actuating device for motor vehicle transmission

description

The invention relates to an actuating device for a motor vehicle transmission, in particular for an automatic transmission, according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Gear change transmissions of motor vehicles are usually controlled or switched by means of an operating device arranged in the grip region of the driver. Often this come to actuators such as shifter or selector lever are used, which are arranged for example between the front seats of the motor vehicle.

The design and ergonomic requirements of such shifter or selector lever are manifold. For example, to give the driver a realistic feeling of transmission actuation is required for generic actuators that oppose the operation of a certain resistance to movement, but also a smooth and smooth movement of the actuator is desired. At the same time, however, the driver should also be provided with clear haptic or tactile feedback, from which he can intuitively conclude the shift operation that has taken place.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the driver also based on the respective instantaneous position or angular position of the actuating element, for example a Selector lever to give a clear visual feedback on the current gear state or on the engaged gear. With this background, a shift gate is frequently mounted in the area of the shift lever or selector lever, in whose lanes the shift lever or selector lever can move, wherein the shift gate is usually provided with symbols or numbers in the sense of a clear indication of the drive level.

In the construction of modern motor vehicles, however, care is increasingly taken to ensure that actuators manage with a minimum of available space. Thus, on the one hand both space for other components created, and on the other hand can be in this way also increase the range of motion of the driver or passengers, without causing an increase in vehicle dimensions is connected. Another factor with regard to the increasing reduction in particular of the actuators for vehicle transmissions is that modern manual transmissions, but in particular the current generations of automatic transmissions or automated motor vehicle transmissions require only low actuation forces, or even be controlled completely actuator.

These include, in particular, the so-called "shift-by-wire" transmission, in which there is usually no mechanical connection between the actuating element in the passenger compartment and the motor vehicle transmission itself more. Rather, the transmission of switching commands from the actuator to the motor vehicle transmission in the example of the shift-by-wire gearbox is usually exclusively by means of electrical or electronic signals. Also from this side therefore eliminates the need for transmission significant actuation forces or moments, which in principle no constructive requirement for expansive, long actuators or selector levers exists more.

As a result, such developments, with respect to the construction of actuators for motor vehicle transmissions, result in actuators such as shift handles or selector levers becoming increasingly smaller Dimensions, reduced operating forces as well as be designed with smaller switching paths.

In particular, space reduction and reduction of shift travel often lead to the fact that in the field of view of a shift handle or selector lever a pronounced lane contour or shift gate can no longer be readily represented. Because due to the reduced shift travel and usually also for space considerations out also reduced lever length, the movements of the shift lever or selector lever in the region of the shift gate between two adjacent switch positions are sometimes smaller than the diameter of the lever rod.

Due to the overall reduced relative movements in the area of the actuators for motor vehicle transmission also a reliable sensing of the instantaneous position of the selector lever is increasingly difficult. The same applies in the sense of haptics and ergonomics for the quality of the force-path course of the detent of the selector lever, which can not be easily ensured with smaller dimensions and angular movements of the selector lever with the required quality.

With this background, it is therefore the object of the present invention to provide an actuating device for a motor vehicle transmission, with which the mentioned, existing in the prior art disadvantages are overcome. The invention is intended in particular to make it possible, even with small switching paths and / or reducing the available space for the actuator installation space, both to represent a pronounced lane contour or shift gate, and to be able to realize a reliable sensing of the selector lever position. Furthermore, in spite of reduced shift travel and / or reduction of the installation space, an unrestrictedly high-quality force-displacement course should be able to be represented in the sense of reliable tactile feedback of switching operations. This object is achieved by a stunning device having the features of patent claim 1.

Preferred embodiments are the subject of the subclaims.

In itself initially known manner, the actuating device according to the present invention comprises a selector lever and a transmission device for transmitting the switching commands from the actuating device to the motor vehicle transmission. The transmission device can be, for example, but by no means exclusively, a linkage, a cable pull or a sensor system with electrical or electronic signal transmission between the actuating device and the motor vehicle transmission. In a manner also known per se, the actuating device further comprises a hinge device for the switchable mounting of the control handle or selector lever within at least one selector lever movement plane.

According to the invention, however, the actuating device is characterized in that the joint device comprises at least one four-bar linkage which movably supports the selector lever. In contrast to the prior art, in which shift handle or selector lever are usually connected by means of ball joint or universal joint with the vehicle structure, the connection between selector lever and vehicle structure is thus according to the invention via the handlebar at least one four-bar linkage.

This is initially advantageous insofar as with the use of a four-bar linkage the location of the pivot point or the pivot axes of the selector lever must not be arranged as in the prior art within the actuator itself, resulting in the restrictions described above with respect to the resulting kinematics of the selector lever leads. Rather, the use of the four-bar mechanism makes it possible to replace the real pivot point or the real one Pivot axes of the selector lever through, a virtual pivot point or by a virtual pivot axis.

Here, the virtual pivot point or the virtual pivot axis can be largely freely positioned in space. Thus, it is quite possible, for example, not only to arrange the virtual pivot point (perceived by the operator as real) outside of the actuating device itself, but even to lay it under the vehicle floor if necessary, for example. The actuator can - despite such almost any virtual length of the selector lever - but still be made small and compact.

Thanks to the thus inventively almost arbitrarily positionable pivots or pivot axes of the actuator can be arranged with greater constructive freedom at greatly reduced space of an actuator - as well as reduced switching paths - both transmission device and locking the actuator, also shift lanes or shift gates on the actuator, or first realize.

Because of the four-link mechanism and thanks to the virtual pivot points that can be realized therewith, the kinematics of the actuating element, which can have, for example, a higher proportion of translation while at the same time reducing the rotational component during the movement of the selector lever, also improves the operator's perceived ergonomics of the actuating element. This means in other words that the operator has the impression of having a long lever with corresponding force-displacement curves in his hand, although the actually much shorter actuator is actually mounted by means of a four-bar mechanism in an extremely compact housing, but the virtual fulcrum can be quite far outside the housing of the actuator.

The invention can first of all realize independently of how the four-bar linkage is constructed, dimensioned and arranged, as long as the four-bar linkage allows the realization of the desired kinematics of the actuator. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, the distance between the selector lever side pivot points of the four-bar linkage is greater than the distance between the body-side pivot points.

This leads advantageously to a selector lever kinematics, in which the virtual pivot point or the virtual pivot axis of the selector lever is arranged on the body side and selector lever remote. Thus, the felt switching behavior of an actuator so executed substantially corresponds to the switching behavior of the previous, traditional actuators or selector lever, in which the real pivot point is arranged comparatively low in the region of the vehicle floor.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the four-bar linkage is arranged for switchable mounting of the selector lever in two mutually perpendicular planes of movement. This means in other words that the selector lever can be pivoted in this way by means of the four-bar mechanism not only within a plane of movement. Rather, the actuating element or the selector lever according to this embodiment of the invention by means of the four-bar mechanism, for example, both be moved along the direction of travel, as well as perform additional switching operations transverse to the direction of travel. Thus, for example, in the automatic transmission both speed level change (lever movement in / against the direction of travel) and shift gate change (lever movement transverse to the direction of travel) can be performed.

It is structurally initially arbitrary, as the switchable mounting of the actuating element takes place in the two mutually perpendicular planes of movement. Thus, it is conceivable, for example, to arrange for this purpose at least two four-bar linkage like a cage and thereby each two adjacent fulcrums of the four-bar linkage on a common - positioned perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the fulcrums - pivot axis. In this way, the two allow cage-like arranged Viergelenkgetriebe movements of the actuator, for example, both along the direction of travel and transverse to the direction of travel.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, the hinge points of the four-bar linkage are designed as ball joints. In this way, in particular in the cage-like combination of two four-bar linkage, constructively results in a particularly simple realization of the shiftable mounting of the selector lever in the two mutually perpendicular planes of movement.

According to further, preferred embodiments of the invention is the selector lever-side point of the transmission device or sensing for transmitting the switching commands, or the locking device for generating a defined force-displacement curve on the actuating element in each case in the region of the body-side pivot points of the four-bar linkage arranged.

The arrangement of the point of application of the transmission device, or the arrangement of the locking device of the actuating element in the vicinity of the body-side hinge points of the four-bar mechanism leads to a particularly compact design of the actuator, as well as and just the space in the region of the body-side end of the actuator used constructively in this way can be.

This is by no means self-evident in the prior art, in particular because in the known from the prior art actuators the switchable on the selector lever switching paths are the smaller, the closer to the body-side end of the heat lever is the tap. In the prior art, therefore, a reliable tap for the transmission device of the switching commands, or the representation of a high-quality force-displacement curve, the more difficult, the closer the tap, or the detent, takes place in the region of the body-side end of the selector lever , Since thanks to the invention, and thanks to the thus enabled virtual pivot point, the movement kinematics of the selector lever can be interpreted predominantly translational and less rotational, but with the invention, a much greater structural freedom in the arrangement of the tap of the transmission device, or in the arrangement of Rastierung of the selector lever given.

Thanks to the invention, the tap for the transmission device or the detent device of the actuating element can therefore also be arranged in a particularly space-saving manner and in the area of the body-side pivot points of the four-bar linkage.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to drawings. These are merely exemplary embodiments. It shows:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of an embodiment of an actuating device according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 in a representation corresponding to FIG 1 and view an actuating device according to the prior art. and

Fig. 3 in a Fig. 1 and 2 corresponding representation and view of the actuator of FIG. 1 during actuation.

Fig. 1 shows in a schematic side view of an embodiment of an actuating device according to the invention. It can be seen first of all a selector lever 1 shown without actuating knob, and a four-bar mechanism 2 which stores the selector lever 1, consisting of the two pivoting levers 3, 4 and of the four-bar linkage 5 arranged between the pivoting levers 3, 4 connected to the selector lever 1, and thus leads the selector lever 1 kinematically in accordance with the pivotal movements of the connecting member 5 of the four-bar mechanism second In the illustrated embodiment of the actuator, the selector lever side, so drawing related upper pivot points 6, 7 of the four-bar mechanism 2 have a greater distance from each other than the body-side, so drawing related lower pivot points 8, 9 of the four-bar mechanism 2. Due to this arrangement of the hinge points 6, 7, 8, 9 of the four-bar mechanism 2 results in a kinematics or position of the virtual pivot point 11 of the connecting link 5 in the four-bar linkage 2 and thus also of the selector lever 1, indicated by dashed line 10 in FIG.

This means in other words that the virtual pivot point 11 of the link 5 in the four-bar linkage 2 in the illustrated position of four-bar linkage 2 and selector lever 1 is at the intersection of the connecting lines 10 through the hinge points of the two pivot levers 3, 4 of the Viergelenkgetxiebes 2. The pivot point 11 is in the illustrated embodiment of the actuator drawing related so far down that the actual location of the virtual pivot 11 can not be displayed on the drawing sheet, which is why the dash-dotted connecting lines 10 through the hinge points 6, 7, 8, 9 of the two pivot lever 3, 4 of the four-bar mechanism 2 are also shown correspondingly kinked.

Due to the special kinematics of the four-bar mechanism 2 results in the operation of the selector lever 1 of the actuating device according to the invention a lever movement, as shown in Fig. 3. This means in other words, first of all, that the selector lever 1 of the illustrated actuator according to the invention for the operator behaves, moves and feels as if the selector lever 1 would be comparatively long, and as if the pivot point 11 of the selector lever is far below the drawing Actuator, or even outside of the drawing sheet would be, as indicated by the dot-dashed extensions 10 of the longitudinal axes of the levers in the two operating positions in Fig. 3.

Thus, the perceived kinematics of the selector lever 1 of the B etätigungs device shown in Figs. 1 and 3 is correct with a conventional, but much longer selector lever match. However, this would require much more space in the motor vehicle, as is the case in accordance with the invention extremely compact executable actuator according to FIGS. 1 and 3.

In the illustrated embodiment, it does not matter initially whether the present invention coincides with the plane of the drawing plane of movement of the selector lever 1 on the vehicle in the vehicle longitudinal direction or in the vehicle transverse direction. In both cases, the respectively perpendicular to the plane of movement shown lever movement (in the present case, the lever movement in the plane and out of the plane) then carried out by means of a conventional joint bearing, which may be arranged for example in the connecting member 5 of the four-bar mechanism 2. However, the four-bar mechanism 2 can also be designed so that both lever movements as shown within the plane of the drawing, as well as lever movements perpendicular to the plane of the drawing can be performed by appropriate movements of the four-bar mechanism 2. In this case, the advantages according to the invention thus come into play with lever movements both in the vehicle longitudinal direction and in the vehicle transverse direction.

If one wanted to accommodate a conventional selector lever 12 of the prior art in an equally compact space, as claimed by the actuator according to the invention claimed, as would, for example, a picture as shown in Fig. 2. Although in the conventional selector lever 12 according to FIG. 2, the same actuating travel B = A would be achievable in the region of the lever end or on the shift knob (not shown) at B, as is the case with the actuating device according to the invention at A according to FIG. However, in the conventionally mounted selector lever 12 according to FIG. 2 - due to the much higher pivot point 13 and the strong rotational component of the lever movement - the desired kinematics of a long lever are no longer given.

A conventionally constructed selector lever 12 on the other hand, having a total of the actuator according to the invention comparable kinematics should, would claim a multiple of the space of the actuator according to the invention, since the pivot point 13 of such a conventional selector lever 12 would have to be placed much further down. For this purpose, reference is made in the figure to the drawing already shortened long distance 14 between the plane E (not shown) shift gate and the virtual fulcrum 11 in the actuator according to the invention, compared to the short and thus space-saving distance 15 between the plane E and the actual lower pivot points 8, 9 of the four-bar mechanism second

In particular, however, the conventionally mounted selector lever 12 according to FIG. 2 could hardly be provided with a visually pronounced shift gate at the level E of the circuit cover, let alone - also in the amount of the plane E - equip with a shift gate. The latter is mainly due to the fact that covered in switching movements lever paths of the conventional selector lever 12 in the marked in Fig. 2 area B ^{1 are} already much too small to order there, for example between different switching levels of the selector lever 12, nor the webs of a shift gate to be able to; or to be able to attach there only a clear visualization or labeling of the different selector lever positions.

For clarity, reference is made to a synopsis of Figs. 2 and 3, there in particular to a comparison of the marked with A 'and B' distances between the lever surfaces between adjacent selector lever positions and switching levels. It can be seen that the distance A 'in the present invention designed selector lever 1 as shown in FIG. 3 is much greater than the - in the example shown even smaller zero expectant - corresponding distance B ¹ in a conventionally mounted selector lever 12 of FIG.

The problem-free arrangement of the webs of a shift gate, or the clear visualization and labeling of the selector lever positions and shift gates is thus given in an inventively designed selector lever 1 as shown in FIG. 3 without further notice. Thanks to the special kinematics enabled by the four-bar linkage 2 Selector lever movement remains in the amount of the level E of a circuit cover or shift gate still a sufficient distance between the individual selector lever positions, for example, to order the web of a shift gate in the space A 'between two switching levels of Wäbihebels.

Finally, the conventionally mounted selector lever 12 of FIG. 2 would also bring problems in the arrangement of both the transmission device and the reliable sensing of the selector lever position, as well as in the realization of the locking of the selector lever 12 with the desired force-displacement curve with it. In a conventionally mounted selector lever 12, the elements of the transmission device (for example Bowden cable, linkage or the like.) Or the elements of the sensing of the selector lever position (for example Hall sensors, microswitch or the like.) As well as the locking device usually on the selector lever opposite side of the selector lever bearing Thus, the paths B "available for sensing or detenting become smaller and smaller as the space is reduced or the selector lever paths are reduced, and the forces required are always the same larger, the closer the corresponding components are moved to the rotational axis 13 of the lever 12.

However, these problems also do not occur in an inventively designed selector lever 1 according to FIGS. 1 and 3, cf. for the operation of the (not shown) transmission device or for locking the selector lever positions available distance A "in a selector lever 1 according to the invention as shown in FIG. 3 against the corresponding, but considerably smaller distance B" in a conventionally designed selector lever 12th

At the same time remains according to FIG. 1 or 3 according to the invention running actuator with selector lever 1 overall extremely compact, and thus it can be saved valuable space in the vehicle interior, and instead made available to the passengers or used constructively otherwise. As a result, it is clear that with the invention, an actuating device for motor vehicle transmission is created, the significant advantages over the prior art in terms of coping with the goal conflicts between short switching paths and low space requirements on the one hand, and between the realization of a qualitatively and ergonomically high-quality force-way Run and a safe sensing or signal transmission on the other hand. Furthermore, thanks to the invention, a pronounced shift gate contour or a shift gate can optionally be realized without further ado, even in the case of an extremely compact and space-saving designed actuating device.

The invention thus makes a significant contribution to improving the ergonomics of the shift operation, while reducing the space requirement, in the field of actuators for motor vehicle transmission, especially in the case of demanding applications in the field of automatic transmission and the automated manual transmission.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 selector lever

2 four-bar linkage

3 pivot lever

4 pivot lever

5 link

6, 7 Selector lever side pivot point

8, 9 Body-side pivot point

10 Body-side pivot point

11 Virtual pivot

12 selector lever (prior art)

13 Reeller pivot point 14,15 Distances

E level of the shift gate

Claims

claims

1. actuating device for motor vehicle transmission, in particular automatic transmission, the B etätigungs device comprising a selector lever (l), a transmission device for transmitting the switching commands from the actuating device to

Kraftfahr transmission, as well as a hinge device for switchable mounting of the selector lever (L) in at least one plane of movement, characterized in that the hinge means at least one selector lever (I] movably storing

Includes four-bar linkage (2).

2. Actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance of the selector lever-side pivot points (6, 7) of the four-bar mechanism (2) is greater than the distance of the body-side pivot points (8, 9) of the four-bar mechanism (2).

3. Actuating device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the four-bar linkage (2) is arranged for switchable mounting of the selector lever (1) in two mutually perpendicular planes of movement.

4. Actuating device according to claim 3, characterized in that the hinge points (6, 7, 8, 9) of the four-bar mechanism (2) are designed as ball joints.

5. Actuating device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the selector lever-side point of the transmission device in the region of the body-side pivot points (8, 9) of the four-bar linkage (2) is arranged.

6. Actuating device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a locking device for generating a defined Rraft-Weg course on the selector lever (I] in the region of the body-side pivot points (8, 9) of the four-bar mechanism (2) is arranged.