JP2009538766A - Pawl actuator - Google Patents

Abstract

  A pawl actuator used with a gear, comprising a pawl member comprising an attachment portion and a gear engagement portion, the pawl member being attachable to a support structure at the attachment portion, wherein the gear engagement portion is a gear When the gear engagement portion is movable between the engagement position and the gear non-engagement position, and the gear engagement portion is in the first movement section between the gear engagement position and the gear non-engagement position, the gear engagement portion is moved to the gear. When biased in the first direction toward the engagement position and in the second movement section between the gear engagement position and the gear non-engagement position, the gear engagement portion is moved in the second direction toward the gear non-engagement position. And a biasing direction of the gear engaging portion is changed in an intermediate region between the first and second moving sections, and the biasing mechanism is biased. Against the second moving zone from the gear non-engaging position. Including an actuating mechanism configured to act on the pawl member to move to an intermediate region and an urging direction change position within the intermediate region, wherein the urging direction changes at the urging direction change position, Thereafter, the pawl actuator biases the gear engaging portion to the gear engaging position.

Description

  The present invention relates to a pawl (also referred to as “pawl”) actuator. For the sake of convenience, a case where the vehicle is used in an automobile having an electric parking brake will be described.

  Electric parking brakes use an electric motor to actuate the brake. It is possible to maintain the output to the electric motor to activate the brake for a short time, such as starting a hill while driving, but with the car engine turned off, such as parking overnight. It is impossible to continue output to the electric motor for a long time. This is because the battery power supply of an automobile is limited, and if electric power must be supplied to the electric motor for a long time, it is consumed immediately. Therefore, it is preferable to mechanically lock the parking brake. However, mechanical locking devices are not suitable for performance variations due to friction between contact surfaces between members having uneven friction loss and contact surfaces that gradually wear through dirt due to sand and debris that penetrates over time. May have various undesirable operating characteristics.

  The present invention seeks to provide a pawl actuator that overcomes or at least mitigates one or more disadvantages associated with the prior art, and preferably has superior performance compared to conventional pawl actuators. .

The present invention is a pawl actuator used with a gear,
It has a pawl member consisting of an attachment part and a gear engaging part,
The pawl member can be attached to a support structure at the attachment portion, and the gear engagement portion is movable between a gear engagement position and a gear non-engagement position,
When the gear engaging portion is in the first movement section between the gear engaging position and the gear non-engaging position, the gear engaging portion is biased in the first direction toward the gear engaging position, and the gear engagement is performed. A biasing mechanism that biases the gear engaging portion in a second direction toward the gear non-engagement position when in the second movement section between the position and the gear non-engagement position;
Further, the biasing direction of the gear engaging portion is changed in an intermediate region between the first and second moving sections,
In order to move the gear engaging portion from the gear non-engagement position through the second movement section to the middle area and the bias direction changing position in the middle area against the bias of the bias mechanism. Including an actuation mechanism configured to act on a member, wherein the biasing direction is changed at the biasing direction changing position, and the biasing mechanism biases the gear engaging portion to the gear engaging position. A pawl actuator is provided.

  The pawl actuator has two stable positions on either side of a two-point stable member, ie one unstable position. The intermediate position is unstable, but the gear engagement / disengagement state is stable. For this reason, when the gear engaging portion of the pawl member is in the intermediate region, it is unstable, and the gear engaging portion tends to move to any one of the movable stable positions. When the gear engaging portion is in the intermediate region, the pawl actuator can operate to move the gear engaging portion to one of the stable positions under the action of the biasing mechanism, and selects any stable position. This is determined by which moving section the gear engaging portion passes through and reaches the intermediate region. For example, when the gear engaging portion passes through the first moving section, the biasing mechanism biases the gear engaging portion so as to move through the second moving section.

  As will be readily appreciated, the present invention is used with gears and splined shafts. The pawl actuator is used to engage one or more teeth of the gear or shaft to prevent the gear or shaft from rotating in a certain direction. In electric parking brakes, the pawl actuator typically operates to prevent the gear from rotating in the direction to release the parking brake. For this purpose, the pawl actuator engages the side of the tooth and prevents further rotation in the direction in which the brake is released. When used in an electric parking brake, the pawl actuator can be used to lock the gear or shaft from rotating in the direction to release the parking brake. For example, an electric parking brake activates the brake by rotating a ball screw and moving the nut axially relative to the disc brake pad to engage the pad with the rotor. In this configuration, the pawl actuator is used to prevent the ball screw from rotating in the opposite direction when the disc brake pad is engaged with the rotor in order to maintain the brake operating condition. The pawl actuator is engageable with a sawtooth cross-section formed on the ball screw or a gear connected to the ball screw. Alternatively, the gear can be formed as part of a gear train between the electric motor and the ball screw. Furthermore, the gear is part of the rotor of the electric motor that drives the electric brake, or part of the position sensing system that senses certain aspects of the electric motor, such as the rotational position of the rotor, to determine the operating state of the brake. It may be.

  The pawl actuator of the present invention can change the urging direction of the gear engaging portion by an appropriate method. In some embodiments, the actuator has an electromagnetic force to move the gear engaging portion from the gear disengaged position to the gear engaged position. In this type of configuration, the pawl member includes an iron member or is substantially or entirely manufactured from a steel material. In this configuration, an electromagnetic force can be applied to the pawl member to move either or each of the first and second movement sections. In this way, the pawl actuator can be operated to move the gear engaging portion from the gear non-engaging position to the gear engaging position by magnetic force, preferably magnetic attraction.

  The gear engagement can also be moved by using one or more thermal bimetal strips and heating them when it is necessary to move the gear engagement. Although a single strip can be used, it is preferred to use a pair of thermal bimetal strips. In this configuration, the pair of bimetal strips are spaced apart from each other and face each other, for example, when the vehicle moves from a cold place to a warm place or when the brake is applied, When exposed to a uniform temperature change, as in the case of rising, it moves the same distance in the opposite direction. Thus, the position of the bimetal strip within the pawl actuator remains unchanged. However, if one of the pair of bimetal strips is exposed to a temperature change and becomes a different temperature from the other bimetal strip, the temperature difference causes one of the strips to move and the pair of bimetal strips. And the pawl member moves from the gear non-engagement position to the intermediate region using the change in position. In this configuration, the pawl actuator or actuating mechanism can further include a heating device for heating one of the pair of bimetal strips as needed to allow the necessary movement.

  In order to move the gear engagement portion in the opposite direction, that is, from the gear engagement position to the gear non-engagement position, a certain movement mechanism can be used. It is done. However, in a preferred configuration, the gear engaging portion is moved by engaging a pawl member with a tooth adjacent to one or more teeth with which the gear engaging portion engages in the gear engaging position. . In such a configuration, when the gear rotates in a direction to release the engagement state between the gear engaging portion and the teeth, the adjacent teeth run on the opposing surface of the pawl member and the gear engaging portion is biased. Against this, it moves through the first movement section to an intermediate area between the first and second movement sections. At that position, the urging direction changes, and thereafter, the gear engaging portion is urged toward the gear non-engaging position. Thereby, the movement of the gear engaging portion from the gear engaging position is completed.

  The adjacent tooth may be a tooth adjacent to the engaging tooth or teeth, or may be a tooth that is adjacent but not adjacent. Moreover, the surface of the adjacent tooth | gear which rides on the surface of a pawl member should just be any appropriate surface, and may change with the positional relationship of a tooth | gear and a pawl member. For example, the initial contact surface can be the end between the upper surface and the adjacent side surface, but if the pawl member moves and the gear rotates, the contact surface can be only the upper surface. The teeth may be formed to allow proper contact with the pawl members.

  The gear engaging portion may receive gear teeth at least partially at the gear engaging position. In this configuration, a part of the gear engaging portion is opposed to the both side surfaces of the tooth, and at least the first portion is engaged with the first side surface of the tooth, whereby the gear is moved in the first direction. Prevents rotation. To release the pawl member from the gear engagement position, the gear is rotated in the opposite second direction, so that the second portion of the portion of the gear engagement portion that faces the opposite side of the tooth is on the second side. Then, the gear engaging portion moves from the gear engaging position to the intermediate region against the urging force of the urging mechanism. Since the gear engaging portion is still in contact with the upper surface of the tooth, depending on the sliding contact with the second side surface, the gear engaging portion may not move completely to the intermediate region, but the second portion of the gear engaging portion and the tooth It is preferable that the movement of a considerable distance occurs through the sliding engagement with the second side surface.

  The biasing mechanism may have any shape. For example, the pawl member can be formed to have a biasing characteristic to serve as a biasing mechanism. Alternatively, the pawl member is made of a plate such as a metal plate or a sheet material, and an opening for receiving a part of the support structure to which the pawl member is attached is formed in the attachment portion. Both ends of the opening are formed to engage the support structure, while the sides extending laterally with respect to the ends have sprung sections.

  To attach the pawl member to the support structure, stretch the bent sides (sprung sides), pull the side ends apart to accept the support structure, and release to engage the support structure. Good. In this configuration, it is preferable that the inner first side end portion of the both side end portions is engaged with the support structure portion on the side of the support structure portion facing the tooth to be engaged later. This side end can be separated from both sides, whereby the first side end forms the tip of a tongue that moves independently of the side. The tongue portion can be configured to rotate with respect to the support structure portion with the tip portion as a base axis, and this rotation facilitates the movement of the gear engaging portion passing through the first and second moving sections. Is done. By cutting slits extending rearward from the first side end portion toward the teeth to be engaged in the pawl member, the side end portion can be separated from both side portions. In this configuration, the pawl member is positioned on the support member such that the tension on the bending side is minimized, that is, the most relaxed state. Therefore, by carefully selecting the size of the pawl member, in particular the distance between the side edges of the opening that engages the support structure and the size of the side, the pawl member can be engaged with the gear engagement position or gear disengagement. It can be biased towards any of the positions so that it moves to a position where the tension is lower. In this configuration, the bent side portion has the maximum tension in the intermediate region between the gear engagement position and the gear non-engagement position, so depending on which side the gear engagement portion is in the same area, The gear engaging portion is urged toward one of these positions.

  Therefore, the bent side portion rotates the pawl member about the first side end portion, that is, the tip end portion of the tongue portion, thereby reducing the length of the bent side portion, By this rotation, the gear engaging portion of the pawl member can be moved. In a preferred embodiment, the bent side portion moves around the position where the tension is maximum, with the gear engaging portion being biased to either the gear engaging position or the non-engaging position. Promote.

  In the above configuration, the bent side portion can take an appropriate form. For example, each side can have a coil spring extending between opposing non-spring portions. Or you may form in a waveform. In any form, the length can be extended by extending the side portion in order to attach the pawl member to the support structure portion, which acts like a spring that expands and contracts. In this configuration, the spring is in the maximum extended state in the intermediate region of the first and second movement sections, and the pawl member is either in the gear engaged position or the gear non-engaged position on each side of the maximum extended state. It is energized towards.

  The number of corrugated segments that the corrugated side of the corrugation has is arbitrary. A segment is counted as one between adjacent valleys. In some embodiments, the pawl has two corrugated segments, but may comprise one or more segments. In order to minimize the length of the pawl member, the side portion thereof may be formed in a corrugated shape from an end portion on the opposite side to the gear engaging portion or a position very close thereto. In this way, the side of the pawl member adjacent to the support structure can be corrugated.

  In the above-described embodiment of the present invention in which the side of the pawl member is bent, the pawl member is preferably formed of a metal spring such as phosphor bronze, stainless steel, spring steel, or engineering plastic. . Alternatively, the spring side may be a metal spring and the other part may be formed as a composite made of different metals or raw materials. As described above, the pawl member includes an iron portion, and the portion may be formed as a part of the pawl member or may be formed as a deposit. If necessary, the pawl member may be formed of only a steel material, for example.

  The above description is for the case where the side portion of the pawl member is bent. Instead of forming the side portion by bending, the tongue portion may be formed as having a bent portion. In such a configuration, the side portion of the pawl member may not have the bent portion. As yet another embodiment, the second tongue is formed on the opposite side of the tongue, or when the tongue is not provided, it extends from the second side end of the pair of side ends. A separate tongue can be formed. In any case, the tongue has a tip that engages the support structure on the opposite side of the surface of the support structure that faces the teeth that engage the pawl. In this embodiment, the second or separate tongue can have a bent portion.

  Furthermore, the pawl member has a rotation end that engages with the surface of the support structure, and is formed to be rotatable with respect to the support structure with the rotation end as a base point. In this configuration, the urging mechanism is a spring mechanism that extends from the engaging portion with the pawl member to the fixing portion provided by the support structure. In this embodiment, the spring mechanism acts in the same manner as the above-described spring portion, and the tension of the spring mechanism becomes maximum when the gear engaging portion is in the intermediate region, and the gear engaging portion is in any of the intermediate regions. Decreases when moved to the side of the gear, i.e., either the gear engaged position or the non-engaged position. As in the previous embodiment, the pawl member rotates around the rotation end, and thereby the movement of the gear engagement portion between the gear engagement / disengagement positions is promoted.

  In the above configuration, the spring mechanism can include one or a pair of coil springs spaced apart on either side of the pawl member. Alternatively, the spring mechanism may include an elongated elastic member such as a rubber cord.

  In order to stably position the pawl member, the rotation end forms an inner end portion of a positioning recess formed by the rotation end and a pair of side portions extending on both sides of the support structure when in use. Accordingly, the recess receives a portion of the support structure to which the pawl member is attached and stably positions the pawl member.

  In still another embodiment of the present invention, the support structure may have a spring portion that cooperates with the pawl member to promote movement of the gear engagement portion between the gear engagement / disengagement positions. Accordingly, the tension of the support structure is maximized when the gear engaging portion is in the intermediate region, and the gear engaging portion is located on either side of the intermediate region, that is, in the gear engaging position or the non-engaging position. It can include a spring portion that decreases when heading either way. Such a configuration can be implemented by a pawl member having an opening that receives the support structure, and having a pair of opposing ends that engage one or more surfaces of the support structure. The support structure can have a pair of legs, each of which engages with each end of the opening, and one or any of them can be elastically bent to form a bend. it can.

  In any of the above embodiments, electromagnetic driving can be employed to move the pawl member from the gear non-engagement position to the intermediate region. Accordingly, it is possible to apply a voltage to the magnetic pad such as an iron piece by the electromagnetic coil and attract the same kind of metal member of the pawl member. Although the same electromagnetic actuator can be used to move the pawl member from the gear engagement position by the repulsive force, it is preferable to use the mechanism described above for the sliding engagement of the gear engagement portion for moving the pawl member. Alternatively, a thermal drive such as a thermal bimetal actuator can be used. In that case, the actuator can be moved by heating, and the movement can be utilized to act on the pawl member in an appropriate manner. The heat source can take the form of an electrical coil that becomes hot when an electric current is passed through it.

  Further, a piston or a plunger (hereinafter referred to as “plunger”) that engages with the pawl member directly or indirectly may be used. The plunger is operable to move the gear engaging portion in each direction between the gear engaging and non-engaging positions, but only in one direction, i.e., from the gear non-engaging position toward the intermediate region, the gear. It is preferably operable to move the engagement portion. By using a solenoid or other electromagnetic drive, the position of the plunger can be electrically controlled.

  The plunger can move the pawl member in an appropriate manner, but the pawl member is preferably rotated by the plunger. Accordingly, the pawl member is attached so as to be able to rotate, and the plunger is arranged so as to cause rotation when moved in at least one direction.

  In the above configuration, the urging mechanism can operate in the form of expansion or compression. In either case, the maximum extension or maximum compression is achieved in the intermediate region, and the biasing mechanism biases the pawl member in one or both directions depending on the position of the pawl member.

  In the above configuration, the urging mechanism is preferably a wire spring. In a preferred embodiment, the wire spring is a C or U-shaped spring, one of its free ends being attached to the pawl member and the other end attached to a relatively stable portion or fixture of the pawl actuator or support structure. .

  In this configuration, the plunger has only the role of rotating the pawl member against the urging force of the coil spring or other urging mechanism, and the frictional resistance against rotation and gravity, so that the plunger is required. Load is very low. The frictional resistance can be configured to be very low. The plunger only needs to be able to move electromagnetically only in one direction so as to rotate the pawl member from the gear non-engagement position to the intermediate region. The plunger is returned to its original position by pushing the plunger when the pawl member moves from the gear engagement position to the intermediate region. Accordingly, any mechanism that moves the pawl member from the gear engagement position to the gear disengagement position can be used for engagement between the pawl member and the plunger, thereby moving the plunger in the opposite direction. The load for moving the plunger may be very low.

  In other embodiments where a plunger is used, the plunger may be capable of moving the pawl member in both rotational directions.

  The pawl actuator according to any of the above embodiments can include an abutment or stopper with which the pawl member engages in the gear disengaged position. Accordingly, the pawl member can be appropriately engaged with the support base at each of the gear disengagement / engagement positions, and it is the teeth of one or more gears that are engaged at the gear engagement position. .

  A gear that can be used with a pawl actuator forms an electric brake assembly, such as an electric parking brake assembly, and the gear is part of the gear train of such an assembly or the ball screw of a ball screw actuator. Part or part of the position sensing wheel of the mechanism used to sense the rotational position of the rotor of the motor can be formed.

  The intermediate region between the first and second movement sections may be a region located approximately in the middle of the gear engagement / disengagement position, or may be in a position closer to either of them. In the intermediate region, the actual position where the urging direction with respect to the gear engaging portion is changed is usually whether the gear engaging portion is moving from the gear engaging position to the intermediate region or from the gear non-engaging position to the intermediate region. It varies slightly depending on whether you are moving. In the middle zone, there is a neutral unstable position where the biasing mechanism does not exert a biasing force in any direction with respect to the gear engaging part, but at both sides of the position, that is, at the point just past that position. The biasing mechanism exerts a biasing force. As described above, the operation mechanism of the pawl actuator needs to act on the pawl member to move the gear engaging portion to the intermediate region and the position just past the neutral position, thereby changing the biasing direction. Thereafter, the gear engaging portion is biased from the intermediate region toward the gear engaging position. Further, when the gear engaging portion moves from the gear engaging position through the first movement section, the moving mechanism for moving the gear engaging portion moves to the intermediate region and the position just past the neutral position. Therefore, the biasing direction is changed, and the gear engaging portion is thereafter biased from the intermediate region to the gear non-engaging position.

  An important advantage of the present invention is that the biasing mechanism can act to move the gear engaging portion to either a stable gear engaging position or a gear non-engaging position, thereby providing a pawl actuator. It is possible to operate quickly. This can take the form of a toggle action.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pawl member according to two embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pawl member according to two embodiments of the present invention. The side view of the pawl member of FIG. 1 in the gear engagement position in the pawl actuator of the present invention. The side view of the pawl member of FIG. 1 in the gear non-engagement position in the pawl actuator of the present invention. The plane sectional view of other forms of a pawl actuator by the present invention. The side view in the gear engagement position of the pawl actuator of FIG. The side view in the gear non-engagement position of the pawl actuator of FIG. The top view of the pawl actuator by the other side of this invention. The side view in the gearwheel engagement position of the pawl actuator of FIG. The side view in the gear non-engagement position of the pawl actuator of FIG. Sectional drawing of other embodiment of this invention. The side view of other embodiment of this invention. FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 11. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a disc brake caliper that employs an electric brake operating environment of a type that can use the pawl actuator of the present invention.

  In order to assist the understanding of the present invention and to show how the apparatus operates, embodiments will now be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, these embodiment is only an illustration and this invention is not limited to this.

  1 and 1a are perspective views of a generally rectangular pawl member according to two aspects of the present invention. Referring first to FIG. 1, the pawl member 10 is made of other compatible material, such as a sheet metal or engineering plastic, and an opening 11 is formed by punching. The opening 11 has a size for receiving a support structure to which the pawl member 10 is attached, and opposite side end portions 12 and 13 of the opening 11 are formed at positions that engage with the support structure.

  The opening 11 has a plurality of slots. The slots 14 and 15 extend rearward from the side end portion 12, and the slots 16 and 17 extend rearward from the side end portion 13. The slots 16 and 17 need not be provided. Slots 14 and 15 are much longer than slots 16 and 17. The side portions 18 and 19 are separated from the central tongue portion 20 by the slots 14 and 15. The tongue portion 20 has a side end portion 12 at one end, and the other end 21 is integrally formed with another portion of the pawl member 10. As will be described later, the tongue portion 20 can be tilted off the general plane of the pawl member 10 by rotating around the end portion 21 as an axis.

  The pawl member 10 includes a gear engaging portion 22 that engages with a gear, a shaft, or a spline 40 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The pawl member 10 further includes bending side portions 25, 26, which can be formed by, or part of, the side portions 18, 19. FIG. 2 is a side view of the bending side portion 26, where the bending side portion 25 is not visible. As is apparent from the figure, the bending side portion 26 is formed in a waveform. The bending side portion 25 is formed in the same shape as the bending side portion 26. It will be understood that by appropriately selecting the raw materials, the bending side portions 25 and 26 can be bent and stretched elastically, thereby enabling the pawl member 10 to pivot.

  FIG. 2 shows the pawl member 10 attached to the support 27. The support 27 has a head portion 28 and a neck portion 29. The neck portion 29 has a surface that is preferably formed in a convex shape at an opposing position, and the side end portions 12 and 13 of the opening 11 are in contact with the neck portion 29 and pivots, that is, pivots. The pawl member 10 is fixed to the support body 27 by contacting in this way. Further, as described later, the convex surface 30 assists in rolling contact with the side end portions 12 and 13 when the pawl member 10 rotates with respect to the support body 27.

  Since the spacing between the side end portions 12 and 13 in the resting state, that is, the state where the pawl member 10 is not fixed to the support body 27 is narrower than that when the pawl member 10 is fixed to the support body 27, the pawl member 10 is supported by the support body. In order to attach to 27, it is necessary to widen the same interval. There are several ways to do this. First, the bending sides 25, 26 can be stretched. Moreover, the bending side parts 25 and 26 can also be bent. Alternatively, the tongue portion 20 can be bent with the end portion 21 as a base axis by its elastic force. In order to widen the distance by any one of these methods, the opening 11 passes through the head portion 28 of the support 27, and the side end portions 12 and 13 are fitted to the neck portion 29 and contact with the surface 30. Need to be done. The elastic energy associated with stretching or bending ensures that the side ends 12 and 13 engage the surface 30 in order to ensure that the pawl member 10 is supported in place on the support 27. It needs to be energized. The neck portion 29 can be formed in a quadrangular shape, whereby the inner end surfaces of the side portions 18 and 19 of the pawl member 10 are also positioned so as to contact the surface of the neck portion. Other configurations are possible.

  FIG. 2 shows the side ends 12, 13 adjacently engaging the surface 30 and the pawl member 10 in the proper position on the support 27. The portion where the tongue portion 20 is invisible by the bent side portions 25 and 26 is indicated by a broken line. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, there are a plurality of teeth 31 a, 31 b, 31 c of the gear 40 and an abutment or stopper 32 formed as a part of a structure that is a base of the support body 27.

  A magnetic pad 33 is attached to the pawl member 10 by an appropriate method. The pad 33 is preferably an iron pad. The pad 33 can be fixed to the pawl member 10 by an appropriate method such as riveting or brazing. In FIG. 2, the fixing portion is indicated by reference numeral 34 and is at one end of the pad 33. The pad 33 extends toward the support body 27 inside the fixed portion 34. A part of the outline of the pad 33 is also shown in FIG. 1, and the rivet 35 is a means for attaching to the pawl member 10.

  Also, as shown in FIG. 2, a pair of arms 36a extend from both ends of the electric coil 36 (only one is visible in the side view of FIG. 2). The coil 36 is connected to an iron pad 37 that is fixed so as not to move by an arm 36a. When the coil 36 is energized, the pad 37 is temporarily magnetized and attracts the magnetic pad 33. Instead, the pad 33 may be a permanent magnet, and the coil 36 may be energized to attract or repel the pad 37 and the pad 33.

  FIG. 2 shows a state where the pawl member 10 is in the first position, that is, the gear engaging portion 22 is engaged with the side surface 38 of the tooth 31a. This is the “gear engagement position”. The gear engaging portion 22 is also linearly engaged with the end portion 39 of the tooth 31b. In this first position, the pad 33 is attracted to the magnet 37, and the pad 33 and the magnet 37 are positioned at a slight interval.

  FIG. 3 shows a second position of the pawl member 10, that is, a state where the pawl member 10 is separated from the engaged state with the tooth 31 and is adjacently engaged with the stopper 32. This is the “gear disengagement position”.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the pawl member 10 is attached to the support body 27, the bending side portions 25 and 26 are bent, and the gear engaging portion 22 is moved to the gear engaging position (see FIG. 2) or It is formed in such a size as to be biased to any one of the gear non-engagement positions (see FIG. 3). Each position of the pawl member 10 in FIGS. 2 and 3 is a stable position, but the pawl member is unstable in an intermediate region between these positions.

  The pawl member 10 moves from the gear engagement position of FIG. 2 to the gear disengagement position of FIG. 3 by the following movement. When the gear 40 rotates counterclockwise, the gear engaging portion 22 is detached from the surface 38 of the tooth 31a. By this rotation, the engagement line between the tooth end portion 39 and the gear engaging portion 22 moves in the direction of the tip end portion 41, and the gear engaging portion 22 (in the direction of the pawl member 10 in FIG. 2) Extruded from. By this extrusion, the pawl member 10 moves to the gear non-engagement position of FIG. By this movement, the bending side portions 25 and 26 are stretched by the elastic force. As described above, the tension of the bending side portions 25 and 26 is increased by being stretched. The gear engaging portion is still in contact with the gear end 39, but the pawl member 10 reaches an intermediate region. The tension of the bending side portions 25 and 26 in the intermediate region is maximum. As described above, the tension is not always the maximum at the middle of the gear engagement / disengagement position. Rather, in the illustrated embodiment, the side end portions 12 and 13 and the tip end portion 41 are arranged in a plane. It becomes the maximum when it becomes. Furthermore, since the movement of the pawl member 10 is a rotational movement about the side end portion 12 of the tongue portion 20 as an axis, the pawl member 10 is in an unstable state at the same position.

  The bending side portions 25 and 26 urge the pawl member 10 toward the gear engagement position until the pawl member 10 is just moved to a position beyond the unstable position. At the same position, the urging direction changes, and the bending side portions 25 and 26 urge the pawl member 10 toward the gear non-engagement position, and the pawl member 10 engages with the stopper 32. As the pawl member 10 moves from the unstable position to the gear non-engagement position, the tension on the bending side portions 25 and 26 decreases. However, in order to maintain the pawl member in the gear engaged / non-engaged state, the tension of the bending side portions 25 and 26 is maintained in each of the gear engaged state and the non-engaged state in order to maintain the biasing force against the member. It has come to be.

  The magnetic attractive force in this embodiment is used to shift the pawl member 10 from the gear non-engaged state to the gear engaged state. Accordingly, the magnetic attractive force must be sufficient to overcome the biasing forces of the bending sides 25, 26 against movement of the pawl member 10 to the gear engagement position. The suction force needs to act at least until the pawl member 10 moves to a position just beyond the unstable position, after which the bending side portions 25 and 26 urge the pawl member 10 toward the gear engagement position. To do.

  The advantage of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-3 is that the pawl member 10 can be configured to be stable in a gear engaged / non-engaged state. The pawl member 10 acts like a toggle. A further important advantage is the absence of friction parts that cause wear and friction losses. This is important for use in automobiles, as it is required to extend the life of the parts as much as possible, and in particular, wear of the parts slows down the braking operation.

  The coil 36 is shown only as a schematic diagram, and an appropriate form can be selected.

  The pawl members shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 have bending side portions 25 and 26. Alternatively, the tongue 20 of the pawl member 10 can be raised so that the sides 25, 26 do not have a sprung characteristic. FIG. 1 a shows such a configuration as a pawl member 10 ′. Parts common to the pawl members 10 and 10 'are indicated by adding' to the same reference numerals. As for FIG. 1a, the action of the pawl member 10 'is substantially the same as that of the pawl member 10, but the tongue 20' biases the gear engaging portion 22 'between the gear engaging and non-engaging positions. It will be easy to understand. In other respects, the configuration and action of the pawl member 10 ′ are substantially the same as those of the pawl member 10.

  4-6 shows the pawl member 50 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The pawl member 50 includes a main body 51, and the main body 51 includes a gear engaging portion 52 and a positioning side portion 53. As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 and the side views of FIGS. 5 and 6, the positioning side portions 53 are located on both sides of the support 54 in use. The pawl member 50 further includes a pair of side protrusions 55 extending from opposite sides of the main body 51.

  A groove for receiving the support 54 is formed by the positioning side portion 53, and an inner end 56 of the groove engages with the support 54 at a neck portion 57 of the support 54. The support 54 also has a head portion 58 and is configured in substantially the same shape as the support structure of the embodiment of FIGS. Therefore, the support structure of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 has the support body 54 and the stopper 59 at a position spaced apart from the support body 54.

  The protrusion 55 fixes one end of the pair of springs 61, and the other end is fixed to the fixing portion 69. The spring 61 is a coil spring, but may be an elastic material such as a rubber cord. Although the spring 61 is shown as a pair, it may be a single spring extending around a fixed point.

  The side view of FIGS. 5 and 6 shows a magnetic pad 62 preferably made of iron, which is fixed to the lower side of the main body 51 of the pawl member 50. The pad 62 is fixed to the pawl member 50 by an appropriate method such as the same method as fixing the pad 33 to the pawl member 10.

  5 and 6 show a gear 63 having teeth 64a and teeth 64b. These drawings show a state in which the pawl member 50 is in the gear engaging position (FIG. 5) and the gear non-engaging position (FIG. 6). The movement of the pawl member 50 is as described above, and in the gear engagement position, the distal end portion 66 of the main body 51 is engaged with the surface 65 of the tooth 64a. The pawl member 50 is also engaged with the end portion 67 of the tooth 64b, and the gear engaging portion 52 extends into the valley portion 68 between the teeth 64a and 64b at the same position.

  4 to 6 do not show the coil configuration as shown in FIGS. Since this is omitted for clarity only, it is assumed that a similar coil configuration is used in the pawl actuators of FIGS. Accordingly, in order for the pawl member 50 to move from the gear disengaged position of FIG. 6 to the gear engaged position of FIG. 5, the coil is used to magnetize the magnetic pad positioned to attract the pad 62. Requires voltage to be applied. When sufficiently attracted, the pawl member 50 rotates around the end portion 56 and the spring 61 rotates around the fixing portion 69, and the pawl member 50 moves to the gear engagement position. Therefore, the spring 61 is stretched and the spring tension is increased.

  The spring tension is adapted to bias the pawl member 50 to either the gear engagement or non-engagement position, so long as a greater reaction force is not applied regardless of the position of the pawl member 50. The spring 61 is always in tension so that its position is maintained by the biasing force of the spring 61.

  The pawl member 50 moves between the gear engagement position and the non-engagement position in substantially the same manner as the pawl member 10 described above. Therefore, a magnetic force is used to move the pawl member against the biasing force of the spring 61 from the position in contact with the stopper 59 to an intermediate area and a position just beyond the maximum tension position of the spring 61 in the intermediate area. It has been. At the same position, the biasing direction of the spring 61 changes, and thereafter, the spring 61 biases the pawl member 50 so as to engage with the gear 63. As described above, the movement of the pawl member 50 partially depends on the urging by the magnetic force and the urging by the spring, and the urging by the magnetic force can be maintained as long as there is no reaction. It does not need to be maintained when acting in the same direction.

  When the pawl member 50 returns from the gear engagement position to the non-engagement position, the pawl member 50 moves in the same manner as the pawl member 10 described above. That is, when the gear 63 rotates counterclockwise, the tip 66 is separated from the tooth surface 65 and the tooth end 67 begins to push out the gear engaging portion 52 from the trough 68. By this movement, the pawl member 10 moves to the gear non-engagement position, and the tension of the spring 61 is amplified as it moves. The spring tension continues to increase until reaching the maximum tension, and just beyond that position, the biasing direction of the spring changes, and the spring 61 biases the pawl member 50 to the gear disengaged position. Thus, the return movement initiated by the teeth 64b is necessary to move the pawl member 50 to a position just beyond the maximum tension point of the spring 61.

  7-9 illustrate yet another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the pawl member 80 is shown attached to a support structure having a pair of support legs 82 and 83. FIG. 7 shows a pawl member 80, which has a structure similar to that of the pawl member 10 of FIGS. The pawl member 80 has an opening 85 and slots 86 and 87 communicating with the opening 85. Slots 86 and 87 separate the side portions 90 and 91 from the tongue 92. The tongue portion 92 has a lead end portion 93 facing the end portion 94 located between the slots 88 and 89 (which may be provided if necessary), and the end portions 93 and 94 are respectively supporting leg portions. Engages in recesses 95 and 96 provided on 82 and 83. The pawl member 80 further includes a gear engaging portion 97 and a tip end portion 98.

  It should be noted that in the embodiment of FIGS. 7-9, the side portions 90, 91 are not bent and formed like the side portions 18, 19 of the pawl member 10. Accordingly, the pawl member 80 does not have a function of separating the end portions 93 and 94 from each other like the pawl member 10. Instead, in the embodiment of FIGS. 7-9, one or each of the support legs 82, 83 can be flexibly elastically or pivotable so that the pawl member 80 can be paginated. The function similar to that of the member 10 can be exhibited. Therefore, either the support leg portion 82 or the support leg portion 83 may be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow A, or both may be configured to be capable of such movement. However, if the leg portion 82 receives a load of the gear (the load that the tooth surface 102 applies to the tip portion 101 of the pawl member 80), and if the leg portion 82 is rigid, the pawl member 80 more accurately positions the gear. Therefore, it is preferable that the leg portion 83 is flexible and the leg portion 82 is a rigid body.

  In order to show the operation of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the case where the support structure 81 is formed with the support leg portion 83 having flexibility (resilient flexibility) will be described.

  The pawl member 80 is movable between the gear engaging position shown in FIG. 8 and the gear non-engaging position shown in FIG. The pawl member 80 has a magnetic pad 99 on its bottom surface and moves between the gear engagement position and the non-engagement position in the same manner as described for the previous embodiment of FIGS. Therefore, when the gear 100 rotates counterclockwise, the tip 101 moves away from the tooth surface 102 and the tooth end 103 begins to push the gear engaging portion 97 out of the trough 104. By this movement, the pawl member 80 moves toward the stopper 105 provided as a part of the support structure 81.

  In the preceding embodiment, when the pawl member 80 moves, the bending side portions 25 and 26 or the spring 61 promoted the movement. In the embodiment of FIGS. 7 to 9, the movement is promoted by the elasticity of the leg portion 83. Accordingly, as the pawl member 80 moves away from the gear 100 and moves upward, the leg 83 moves inwardly toward the leg 82. The leg 83 continues to move inward until it reaches the inward movement limit position. To that position, the pawl member 80 is biased in the gear engaging direction and in the opposite direction to the direction moved by the gear end 103. However, the urging direction of the leg 83 against the pawl member 80 is changed at a position just beyond the inward movement limit position, and the leg 83 is urged to move to a position where it engages with the stopper 105.

  The movement in the reverse direction, that is, the movement from the gear non-engagement position to the gear engagement position is performed by applying a voltage to a coil (not shown) and attracting the pad 99 with a magnetic force. The action of the coil is as described above for the other embodiments.

  In the embodiment of FIGS. 7-9, either or both of the legs 82, 83 can be elastically flexible. The elasticity of these legs can be provided by an external spring or in combination with it.

  FIG. 10 shows still another embodiment of the present invention, in which the pawl actuator 130 has a pawl member 131 that can be rotated. The pawl member 131 is attached to a shaft 132 and rotates around the shaft. The pawl member 131 receives the action of both the compression spring 133 and the pressing rod 134. In the position shown, the spring 133 is in maximum compression.

  The pawl member 131 has a gear engaging portion 135 that is engaged and disengaged with the teeth of a gear (not shown) by rotating around the shaft 132. The gear engaging portion 135 has an opening 136, and the opening 136 is formed so as to mesh with the teeth of the gear, and thus can be formed in various shapes as appropriate.

  The pressing rod 134 is shown in a state in which a load is applied to the joint surface 137. At the position shown in the figure, the pressing rod is close to the limit state of the operating stroke, but is not yet reached. Accordingly, the pressing rod 134 rotates the pawl member 131 in the counterclockwise direction opposite to the urging direction by the spring 133 in a manner to increase the compression load of the spring 133. In order to change the biasing direction of the spring 133 when the compression load of the spring 133 reaches the maximum, a slight movement of the pressing rod 134 to rotate the pawl member 131 is sufficient, and thereafter, the spring 133 alone Thus, the pawl member 131 can be operated to continue to rotate counterclockwise.

  The pawl actuator 130 includes an iron sleeve 138 that is fixed to the inner surface 138 a of the opening of the housing 145. The pressing rod 134 has a neck portion 139 and a magnetic head member 143 attached to one end of the neck portion 139. The coil 141 can move the pressing rod 134 by an electromagnetic load acting on the sleeve 138 and the head member 143. When a voltage is applied to the coil 141, the head member 143 is moved toward the sleeve 138 and the pawl member 131 is counteracted. The pressing rod 134 is moved in the direction of clockwise rotation. As a result, the pressing rod 134 is pushed out. However, in a preferred configuration, when the gear engaging portion 135 is separated from the teeth, the pawl member 131 moves clockwise so that the pressing rod 134 moves backward. Yes. By this clockwise movement, the surface 137 pushes the pressing rod 134 in the backward direction. When such a configuration is adopted, the coil 141 does not need to move the pawl member in both directions, so that the operation of the pawl actuator 130 is simplified.

  Together, the pressing rod 134 and the spring 133 completely rotate the pawl member 131 from the gear non-engagement position to the engagement position. The pressing rod 134 is rotated from the gear non-engagement position to the intermediate region against the action of the spring 133, while the spring 133 is rotated from the intermediate region to the gear engagement position. The mechanism that causes reverse rotation of the pawl member 131, that is, the mechanism that moves the gear engaging portion 135 from the gear engaging position to the gear non-engaging position is as described above for the previous embodiment. Therefore, the gear is rotated in the opposite direction, and due to the interaction between the gear engaging portion 135 of the pawl member 131 and the gear teeth, the pawl member 131 reaches the point where the spring 133 just exceeds the maximum compression point. The spring 133 is rotated clockwise against the bias of the spring 133, and then the bias direction of the spring 133 is changed so that the pawl member 131 continues to rotate clockwise in the direction of the gear non-engagement position. Energize.

  The compression spring 133 may have any shape, but preferably has a C or U shape, and the free end 146 of the spring is fixed to the pawl member 131. In the pawl actuator 130, the free end 146 has a recess 147. Is positioned inside. The other end 148 of the spring 133 is fixed to the spring fixture 149.

  FIG. 11 shows a pawl actuator 150 according to the present invention. The pawl actuator 150 includes an actuation type that employs a bimetal strip actuator, as described below.

  The pawl actuator 150 includes a pawl member 151, and the pawl member 151 may be in any form of the pawl member 10 or 10 'described above. Further, the pawl actuator 150 has a support structure 152 having substantially the same structure as that shown in FIGS. Accordingly, the support structure 152 includes a support 153 having a head portion 154 and a neck portion 155. The pawl member 151 has a tongue portion 156 that engages with the surface of the neck portion 155 so that the pawl member 151 can rotate therearound. The tongue portion 156 has a wave shape, and is a mechanism for biasing the pawl member 151. In the illustrated configuration, the gear engaging portion 157 is engaged with the side surface 158 of the tooth 159 of the gear 160. Therefore, in FIG. 11, the pawl member 151 is in the “gear engagement position”.

  The pawl actuator 150 further includes bimetal strips 161, 162. As shown in FIG. 11a, each bimetal strip is composed of two metallic materials 165, 166, one covering the other, and each metallic material 165, 166 has a different coefficient of thermal expansion. The metal material 166 is in an opposing relationship. The strip 161 is heated by suitable heating means such as a heating coil 163, for example. The two strips 161, 162 are arranged as shown in FIG. 11 a, so that the actuator cannot be operated at a temperature that does not cause a change in the position of the pawl member 151 around the pawl actuator 150. Balance can be maintained when changes occur. According to the arrangement shown, as the ambient temperature increases, the strips 161, 162 move in the opposite direction, i.e., move away from or approach each other. Therefore, the position change is practically zero. However, when it is necessary to operate the pawl actuator 150, a temperature difference is generated by applying heat to one of the strips 161 and 162. In the illustrated embodiment, the coil 163 acts on the strip 161 so that the strip 161 moves separately from the strip 162. According to a suitable configuration, this movement causes the actuating member 164 to which the strips 161 and 162 are connected to engage with the gear engaging portion 157 (see the broken line), and the pawl member 151 is moved from the gear disengaged position. It moves to the gear engagement position of FIG. As in each of the preceding embodiments, the actuating member 164 only needs to move the gear engaging portion 157 from the gear non-engaging position to a position within the intermediate region, and at this position, the urging force of the tongue 156 is engaged with the gear. The movement of moving the joint portion 157 to the gear engagement position is taken over.

  The manner in which the gear engaging portion 157 moves from the gear engaging position to the gear non-engaging position is as described in the preceding embodiment. When the gear 160 rotates counterclockwise, the gear engaging portion 157 Apart from the side surface 158, the gear engaging portion is raised in the direction of the gear non-engaging position.

  It will be appreciated that the heat applied to the strip 161 is also conducted to the strip 162 because the strips 161, 162 are in close proximity. In fact, since the temperature equalization occurs between the strips 161 and 162 due to conduction action, the actuating member 164 reacts immediately after the current to the heating coil 163 is cut off. However, the initial temperature difference between the strips 161, 162 is sufficient for the pawl member 151 to operate.

  It goes without saying that the coil 163 shown in FIG. 11 is merely an example of a large number of heating devices that can be employed in this embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 12 is taken from the international application PCT / AU2005 / 00854, which is filed by the present applicant, although the reference numerals are different. A disc brake caliper 110 is shown that may use pawl actuators according to the present invention. The disc brake caliper 110 is described in detail in the international application PCT / AU2005 / 00854. In brief, the caliper 110 has a nut 118 and a ball screw 140, and the ball screw is a gear. It rotates with the rotation of the rotor 122 through the mechanism 142. In the present invention, the gear 165 can be fixed to the rotor 122 adjacent to the bearing 123 and the pawl actuator can operate on the teeth of the gear.

  The present invention described above can be variously modified, improved, and / or added in addition to the specifically described embodiments, and all such modifications included in the spirit and scope of the above description, It should be understood that improvements and / or additions are included.

  The pawl actuator according to the present invention can be used particularly for motor-driven drum brakes and motor-driven disc brake calipers that employ an electric parking brake mechanism. Thus, the present invention can be used in a disc brake assembly as disclosed in the pending international application PCT / AU2005 / 00854 (International Publication No. WO 2005/124180). The disclosure content of the international application is hereby incorporated by reference.

Claims (33)

A pawl actuator used with a gear,
It has a pawl member consisting of an attachment part and a gear engaging part,
The pawl member can be attached to a support structure at the attachment portion, and the gear engagement portion is movable between a gear engagement position and a gear non-engagement position,
When the gear engaging portion is in the first movement section between the gear engaging position and the gear non-engaging position, the gear engaging portion is biased in the first direction toward the gear engaging position, and the gear engagement is performed. A biasing mechanism that biases the gear engaging portion in a second direction toward the gear non-engagement position when in the second movement section between the position and the gear non-engagement position;
Further, the biasing direction of the gear engaging portion is changed in an intermediate region between the first and second moving sections,
In order to move the gear engaging portion from the gear non-engagement position through the second movement section to the middle area and the bias direction changing position in the middle area against the bias of the bias mechanism. Including an actuation mechanism configured to act on a member, wherein the biasing direction is changed at the biasing direction changing position, and the biasing mechanism biases the gear engaging portion to the gear engaging position.
Pawl actuator.   The pawl actuator according to claim 1, wherein the pawl member has an elongated shape, a portion toward one end thereof is a mounting portion, and a portion toward the other end is a gear engaging portion.   The pawl member has a magnetic attraction portion, and the operating mechanism uses the attraction by the magnetic attraction portion to resist the bias applied to the gear engagement portion, and moves the gear engagement portion to the second position. The pawl actuator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pawl actuator is moved through a section to a biasing direction changing position in an intermediate region.   The pawl actuator according to claim 3, wherein the magnetic attraction portion is an iron deposit attached to the pawl member.   The pawl actuator according to claim 3, wherein the magnetic attraction portion is formed integrally with the pawl member.   The pawl member is formed of a material having a magnetic attractive force, and resists urging applied to the gear engaging portion by the attraction, and the gear engaging portion passes through the second moving section and enters the intermediate region. The pawl actuator according to claim 1, wherein the pawl actuator is moved to an urging direction change position.   The pawl actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the biasing mechanism is a part of the pawl member.   The pawl actuator of claim 7, wherein the biasing mechanism is at least part of the pawl member formed as a spring.   The mounting portion of the pawl member has an opening for receiving a part of the support structure, and the opening is a pair of opposing portions arranged so as to engage with both sides of the support structure part. And one of the end portions forms an end portion of a tongue portion extending from the opening, and the tongue portion serves as a base shaft that rotates with respect to the support structure portion. The tongue portion further includes side end portions facing each other, and the opening further includes a part thereof on both sides of the support structure portion and the tongue portion. And formed by a pair of side portions extending in substantially the same direction away from the side end portion of the opening, and the biasing mechanism is one or each bending portion of the side portion, and the tension of the bending portion is When the gear engaging portion is at the biasing direction changing position in the intermediate region, the maximum is achieved. Engaging portion is reduced when it is in either side of the biasing direction change position toward either of the gears engaged, disengaged position, pawl actuator according to claim 8.   The mounting portion of the pawl member has an opening for receiving a part of the support structure, and the opening is a pair of opposing portions arranged so as to engage with both sides of the support structure part. And one of the end portions forms an end portion of a tongue portion extending from the opening, and the tongue portion serves as a base shaft that rotates with respect to the support structure portion. The tongue portion further includes side end portions facing each other, and the opening further includes a part thereof on both sides of the support structure portion and the tongue portion. And formed by a pair of side portions extending in substantially the same direction away from the side end portion of the opening, and the biasing mechanism is a bent portion formed on the tongue portion, and the tension of the bent portion is When the gear engaging portion is at the biasing direction changing position in the intermediate region, the maximum is achieved. There decreases when on either side of the biasing direction change position toward either of the gears engaged, disengaged position, pawl actuator according to claim 8.   The pawl member has a pivot end that engages with the surface of the support structure, and is pivotable with respect to the support structure with the pivot end as a base axis. A spring mechanism extending from the engaging portion to a fixed portion provided in the support structure, and the tension of the spring mechanism is maximized when the gear engaging portion is in the biasing direction changing position in the intermediate region, It decreases when the gear engaging portion is on either side of the biasing direction changing position toward either the gear engaging / disengaging position, and the pawl member rotates about the rotating end as a base shaft. Accordingly, the pawl actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the movement of the gear engaging portion between the gear engaging and non-engaging positions is promoted.   The pawl actuator of claim 11, wherein the spring mechanism includes a coil spring.   The pawl actuator of claim 12, wherein the spring mechanism includes a pair of coil springs spaced on opposite sides of the pawl member.   The pawl actuator of claim 11, wherein the spring mechanism includes an elongated elastic member.   The pivot end forms an inner end of a positioning recess of the pawl member, and the recess extends on both sides of the pivot end and the support structure to position the pawl member relative to the support structure The pawl actuator according to claim 11, wherein the pawl actuator is formed from a portion. Pawl actuators used with gears;
A support structure,
The pawl actuator includes a pawl member having a gear engaging portion;
The pawl member has an opening for receiving a part of the support structure for attaching the pawl member to the support structure, and the opening has two surfaces partly located on substantially opposite sides of the support structure part. One end of which forms an end of a tongue that extends from the opening, and the tongue serves as a base shaft that rotates relative to the support structure. By the rotation, the movement of the gear engaging portion between the gear engaging and non-engaging positions is promoted, the tongue portion further has side end portions facing each other, and the opening further partially includes the support structure. Formed by a pair of side portions extending substantially in the same direction, apart from the side end portions of the opening, on both sides of the portion and the tongue
When the gear engaging portion is in the first movement section between the gear engaging position and the gear non-engaging position, the gear engaging portion is biased in the first direction toward the gear engaging position, and the gear engagement is performed. A biasing mechanism that biases the gear engagement portion in a second direction toward the gear non-engagement position when in the second movement section between the position and the gear non-engagement position, A bent portion of the support structure,
Furthermore, the biasing direction of the gear engaging portion is changed at the biasing direction changing position in the intermediate region between the first and second moving sections, and the tension of the bending portion is changed to the gear engaging portion. It becomes maximum when the joint portion is at the biasing direction changing position in the intermediate region, and the gear engaging portion is on either side of the biasing direction changing position toward the gear engaging / disengaging position. Sometimes decreases,
The pawl actuator resists the biasing of the biasing mechanism, and moves the gear engaging portion from the gear non-engaging position to the intermediate region through the second movement section, to the biasing direction changing position in the intermediate region. An actuating mechanism configured to act on the pawl member to move, the energizing direction is changed at the energizing direction changing position, and thereafter the energizing mechanism moves the gear engaging portion to the gear engaging position. Energize,
assembly.   17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the support structure includes a pair of legs, each leg engaging with an opposite end, respectively, forming a bend in which either leg can bend elastically.   18. The assembly of claim 17, wherein each of the legs is elastically deformable and each forms a bend.   16. The electromagnetic actuator according to claim 1, further comprising an electromagnetic actuator that moves the gear engaging portion from a gear non-engaged state to a biasing direction change position in an intermediate region by exerting a suction force on the pawl member. One of the pawl actuators.   The pawl member is pivotally attached to the mounting portion, and the actuating mechanism pivots the pawl member to pass the second moving section from the gear non-engagement position to change the biasing direction of the intermediate region. The pawl actuator of claim 1, wherein the pawl actuator is adapted to be moved up to.   21. The pawl actuator of claim 20, wherein the biasing mechanism is a spring that acts by being compressed, and provides maximum compression in an intermediate region.   The pawl actuator of claim 21, wherein the spring is a U-shaped coil spring having one end attached to the pawl member and the other end attached to a fixed point.   23. A pawl actuator according to any of claims 20 to 22, wherein the actuation mechanism includes a push rod that engages a surface of the pawl member.   24. The press rod according to claim 23, wherein the pressing rod is electromagnetically operated at least in a first operation direction, and the pawl member is moved from a gear non-engagement position to a biasing direction change position through a second movement section. Pawl actuator.   3. The pawl actuator of claim 1 or 2, wherein the actuating mechanism includes a single thermal bimetal strip that moves in response to a temperature difference to move the pawl member from an unengaged position to an intermediate region. .   The actuating mechanism includes a pair of thermal bimetal strips that move in response to a temperature difference, the pair of thermal bimetal strips being spaced apart from each other and facing each other, the pair of thermal bimetal strips When each of the bimetal strips is subjected to the same temperature change, the positional relationship between the two bimetal strips does not change by moving the same distance in the opposite direction, and the pair of thermal bimetal strips When one of the two strips is exposed to a temperature change and the two strips have different temperatures, the movement of one strip is induced and the positional relationship between the two bimetal strips changes. The pawl actuator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pawl member is moved from the gear non-engagement position to an urging direction change position in an intermediate region by the change of the gear.   26. The pawl actuator of claim 25, wherein the actuating mechanism further comprises a heating device for heating one of the pair of thermal bimetal strips.   A gear having teeth engaging with the gear engaging portion at a gear engaging position, wherein the gear engaging portion engages with the first tooth of the gear at the position; Stable in contact, the engagement with the first teeth allows the pawl member to prevent the gear from rotating in the first direction, and the gear rotates in the second direction opposite to the first direction. As a result, the gear engaging portion starts to move from the gear engaging position to the gear non-engaging position, and the gear engaging portion is separated from the side surface of the first tooth, Due to the sliding contact of two teeth, the gear engaging portion moves from the gear engaging position to the biasing direction changing position in the intermediate region against the biasing by the biasing mechanism, and thereafter the biasing mechanism is engaged with the gear engagement. The pawl actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 27, wherein the portion is urged toward the gear non-engagement position.   And further comprising a gear having teeth that engage the gear engaging portion at a gear engaging position, the gear engaging portion configured to at least partially receive the gear teeth at the gear engaging position, thereby A part of the gear engaging portion is opposed to both side surfaces of the tooth, and at least a first portion thereof is engaged with a first side surface of the tooth, and the pawl member is engaged with the tooth by the engagement with the tooth. Can be prevented from rotating in the first direction, and the gear engaging portion moves from the gear engaging position to the gear non-engaging position by rotating the gear in a second direction opposite to the first direction. And the second portion of the gear engaging portion facing the second side surface opposite to the first side surface facing the first portion slides relative to the second side surface, and the gear engaging portion The intermediate region from the gear engagement position against the biasing by the biasing mechanism Go to the biasing direction change position, thereafter the urging mechanism biases the tooth engagement section to the tooth disengaged position direction, either pawl actuator of claims 1 28.   30. The pawl actuator of claim 28 or 29, wherein the gear is a car parking brake mechanism gear.   31. The pawl actuator of claim 30, wherein the gear is fixed to a ball screw actuator of an automobile parking brake mechanism.   32. The pawl actuator of any of claims 1-31, wherein the support structure includes an abutment that engages the pawl member in a gear disengaged position.   An automobile parking and brake mechanism comprising the pawl actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 31.

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