JP2587073Y2 - Electric actuator - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric actuator used for an automobile automatic change, and more particularly to an actuator which can be downsized.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a vehicle, the operation of a change lever is transmitted to a transmission by a cable or a rod.
2. Description of the Related Art A shift operation device that performs a shift operation has been widely used.

On the other hand, with the recent dramatic progress in computer technology, a shift range is selected by a push operation of a switch operation unit or the like, and a drive signal is generated based on the selection to drive an actuator such as a drive motor to change the speed. There have been proposed various auto-changes for a vehicle in which the vehicle is controlled to be switched to a shift range of parking P, reverse R, neutral N, drive D, second S, or low L (for example, Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 60-168629). Gazette).

[0004]

In this type of auto change for a vehicle, for example, when a drive motor is used as an actuator, if the drive of the drive motor is stopped due to an electrical failure or the like, the shift range of the transmission can be switched. It is feared that it will be impossible.

[0005] In response to such a concern, the applicant of the present application has effectively utilized a planetary gear mechanism in an automobile automatic change, and has provided a switching gear for switching a transmission to a predetermined range, and an internal gear having an output gear meshing with the switching gear. A gear, a first input gear rotated by the first actuator, a second input gear rotated by the second actuator, a sun gear mounted on the first input gear, and mounted on the second input gear;
A planetary gear meshing with the sun gear and the internal gear, and usually, one of the actuators is driven by a drive signal, and when one of the actuators is stopped due to a failure or the like, the other actuator is started to be driven by the drive signal. And a control circuit for controlling the vehicle.

[0006] When two actuators are used as described above, the general idea is to construct an apparatus using actuators having the same performance. But,
In the switching device described above, one of the actuators is driven at all times, but the other actuator is only driven in an emergency when one of the actuators fails, and the other actuator has the same performance as that of one of the actuators. This is not only bulky and heavy, but also unfavorable in terms of cost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electric actuator used for an automatic change for an automobile, which can be constructed without increasing size, weight and cost. And

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an electric actuator according to the present invention is an automotive automatic changeover system in which an actuator is driven by an electric signal to switch a transmission to a predetermined range. A gear, an internal gear having an output gear meshing with the switching gear, a first input gear rotated by the first actuator, a sun gear attached to the first input gear, and a second gear rotated by the second actuator. An input gear, a planetary gear attached to the second input gear and meshing with the sun gear and the internal gear, and usually one of the first and second actuators is driven by a drive signal, and one of the actuators fails. And a control circuit for controlling the other actuator to start driving by a drive signal when the driving is stopped by the second actuator. The driving force of the motor is set smaller than the driving force of the first actuator, and when driven in the first actuator, in the case of driving the second actuator,
The gear ratio of the sun gear and the internal gear is set such that the switching gear rotates with the same torque.

[0009]

Normally, when one of the first and second actuators is driven, and the other actuator is stopped due to a failure or the like, when driving the other actuator, a sun gear and an internal gear that transmit the driving force of both actuators are used. Are set to a gear ratio at which the switching gear is rotated with the same torque, and the driving force of the other actuator is made smaller than that of the one actuator, so that the other actuator can be downsized.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to specific examples shown in the drawings. First, a description will be given of an automobile autochange to which the present invention is applied. FIGS. 1 to 8 show an automatic change for a vehicle to which the present invention is applied. As shown in FIG. 8, the automatic change for a vehicle includes a parking P, a reverse R, a neutral N on an instrument panel or the like in the vehicle interior. , Drive D, second S, low L
Are provided. In addition, instead of the push switch, each range P ~
A hand-operated dial or a hand-operated lever for outputting an electric signal for each L may be provided.

Each of the above push switches 10a to 10
f is connected to a microcontroller 11 mounted on the vehicle, and each of the push switches 10a
An electric signal for each of the ranges P to L is input by a push operation of 10 f to 10 f, and a vehicle speed sensor 12 is connected to the microcontroller 11.

The transmission 13 is connected to a switching lever 15 of a switching device (electric actuator) 14 by a wire 16, and the switching of the switching lever 15 to each of the ranges P to L causes the transmission 13 to move to a predetermined range. It is switched to P to L. Further, the switching device 14 is provided with first and second drive motors 17 and 18, a small third drive motor 19, and first and second micro switches 20 and 21. The detection signal is input to the microcontroller 11, and the driving of each of the drive motors 17, 18, 19 is controlled by the output signal of the microcontroller 11.

As shown in detail in FIGS. 1 to 4, the switching device 14 is a rectangular box-shaped case 2 having an open upper surface.
6 and a lid 27 for closing the upper opening of the case 26, and a switching shaft 28 projecting from the inside of the case 26 to the outside through the lid 27 is fixed to the inner surface of the lid 27 at the center position of the case 26. The bearing 29 is rotatably supported by the bearing 29. A gear shaft 30 extending vertically in the case 26 is provided on the bearing 31 fixed to the inner surface of the lid 28 and the inner surface of the bottom wall 26b of the case at a position offset from the switching shaft 28 toward the one side wall 26a of the case 26. It is supported by a fixed bearing 32.

A worm wheel 33 as a first input gear is rotatably supported on the lower side of the gear shaft 30, and a sun gear 34 is rotatably supported on the upper side of the gear shaft 30. , 34 are integrally connected by a bearing 35. A worm wheel 36 as a second input gear is rotatably supported by the bearing portion 35, and three planetary gears 38 are rotatable at equal intervals by a pin 39 on a bearing portion 37 of the second input gear 36. Are connected integrally.

Each of the planetary gears 38 is meshed with a sun gear 34, and an internal gear 41 is provided above the gear shaft 30.
And an output gear 42 integrally connected to the internal gear 41.
Are rotatably supported, and the internal gear 41 is meshed with each of the planetary gears 38.

A first drive motor 17 and a second drive motor 18 are respectively mounted on the outer surface of the side wall 26a of the case 26, and an output shaft 17a of the first drive motor 17 is inserted through the case 26 to A first worm 43 fixed to the output shaft 17a is engaged with the first input gear 33. The output shaft 18a of the second drive motor 18 penetrates through the case 26, and a second worm 44 fixed to the output shaft 18a is meshed with the second input gear 36.

On the other hand, a switching cam 51 and a switching gear 52 meshing with the output shaft 42 are fixed to the switching shaft 28 on the inner surface side of the lid 27, and a worm as a timing gear is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the bearing 29. A wheel 53 is rotatably supported, and the switching lever 1 is provided on the outer surface of the lid 27.
5 is fixed, and one end of the wire 16 is fixed to a pin 54 fixed to the tip of the switching lever 15.

The lid 27 on the other side wall 26c side of the case 26
A third drive motor 19 is attached to the inner surface of the third drive motor 19, and a third worm 55 fixed to the output shaft 19 a of the third drive motor 19.
Are meshed with the timing gear 53, and the toothless portions of the timing gear 53 will be described in detail later. As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, the convex portions 53a and 53b and the concave portions 53c and 53d have a predetermined angle range. And a bearing 31 on the lid 27 side of the gear shaft 30 within the range of the maximum rotation angle of the timing gear 53.
An escape hole 53e is formed to prevent interference.

On the inner surface of the lid 27, a first blocking claw 56 and a second blocking claw 57 are supported by support shafts 58 and 59 so as to be swingable at symmetric positions about the center of the switching shaft 28, respectively.
Pins 60 and 61 are provided upright at 6 and 57, respectively, and respective blocking claws 56 and 57 are attached by springs (not shown) so that the pins 60 and 61 abut on the toothless portions of the timing gear 53. It is being rushed.

When the timing gear 53 is rotating to the position a (see FIG. 5), the pin 60 rides on the projection 53a to remove the first blocking claw 56 when the timing gear 53 is rotating to the position a (see FIG. 5). When the timing gear 53 rotates to the position b (see FIG. 6) (θ1), the pin 60 is dropped into the recess 53c to swing the first blocking claw 56 inward. ing. When the timing gear 53 rotates from the position b to the position c (see FIG. 7), the pin 60 falls into the concave portion 53c. Similarly, the convex portion 53b and the concave portion 53d are
When 3 is rotating between the a position and the b position, the projection 53
When the timing gear 53 is rotated to the position c (θ2) by rotating the second blocking claw 57 outward (see FIGS. 5 and 6), the pin 61 is put on the concave portion 53d.
And the second blocking claw 57 is swung inward (see FIG. 7).

The switching cam 51 has a first locking portion 5.
1a and a second locking portion 51b are formed.
1a is a position where the switching cam 51 is switched to the S range together with the switching gear 52, and is locked by the first blocking claw 56 which is swung inward, and the switching cam 51 is switched from the S range to the L range. (See FIG. 6). The second locking portion 51b is located at a position where the switching cam 51 is switched to the N range and rotated together with the switching gear 52,
It is set so as to be locked by the second blocking claw 57 swung inward to prevent the switching cam 51 from switching from the N range to the R range and the P range (see FIG. 7). Further, as shown in FIG. 1, first and micro switches 20 and 21 for detecting the swinging positions of the blocking claws 56 and 57 are attached to the inner surface of the lid 27, respectively.

In general, the microcontroller 11 drives the first drive motor 17 by a drive signal, and immediately starts driving the second drive motor by the drive signal when the first drive motor 17 stops driving due to an electrical failure. When the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor 12 becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined low speed value (for example, 5 km / H), the microcontroller 11 drives the third drive motor 19, The timing gear 53 is rotated from the position a to the position b (θ1), and when the vehicle speed becomes equal to or higher than a predetermined high speed value (for example, 100 km / H), the third drive motor 19 is driven to move the timing gear 53 from the position b to c. A second control circuit for controlling rotation to the position (θ2) is incorporated.

The timing gear 53 is moved from position a to position b
The rotation to the position can be detected by the detection signal of the first micro switch 20 that detects the inward swing of the first blocking claw 56, and the rotation from the position b to the position c is detected by the second blocking claw 57. Can be detected by the detection signal of the second micro switch 21 for detecting the inward swing of the second micro switch 21.

FIG. 9 shows a switching device 14 which is an electric actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, a carrier 38a is provided between the sun gear 34 and the internal gear 41.
Are provided, two sets of planet gears 38 are provided, and the second drive motor 18 is smaller than the drive force of the first drive motor 17 and is therefore smaller.
4 and the internal gear 41 are set to a gear ratio at which the switching gear 52 is rotated with the same torque. For example, the sun gear 34
And the number of teeth of the internal gear 41 is 35 and 60, respectively.
The gear ratio when the drive motor 17 is driven is set to 1.715, and the gear ratio when the second drive motor 18 is driven is set to 2.404.

Next, the function and effect will be described.

First, a description will be given of the operation of an automatic change for a vehicle to which the present invention is applied. When the vehicle is stopped (vehicle speed 0 Km / H), the timing gear 53 is rotated to the position a, and the convex portion 53 a of the timing gear 53,
At 53b, the first and second blocking claws 56, 57 are swung outward. It is assumed that the first and second drive motors 17 and 18 are both normal. When the push switch 10d in the D range is pushed, for example, a drive signal is output from the microcontroller 11 to the first drive motor 17, and the first drive motor 17 starts to be driven. The first input gear 33 is rotated via the one worm 43 and the sun gear 34 via the bearing 37.
Is rotated.

At this time, due to the load on the second drive motor 18 (particularly, the engagement between the second worm 44 and the second input gear 36), each planetary gear 3
8, each planetary gear 38 is idled by the sun gear 34 to rotate the internal gear 41, and the output gear 42 of the internal gear 41 switches the switching gear 5.
2 is switched to the D range and rotated, and the transmission 13 is switched to the D range via the switching shaft 28, the switching lever 15, and the wire 16.

Also, a push switch 10d of the D range
When the first drive motor 17 is stopped due to an electrical failure or the like, the drive signal is immediately output from the first control circuit of the micro control unit 11 to the second drive motor 18, and the second drive motor 18 is driven. Then, the second input gear 34 is rotated via the second worm 44 by the driving of the second drive motor 18.

At this time, the rotation of the sun gear 34 together with the first input gear 35 is restricted by the load on the first drive motor 17 side (particularly, the engagement between the first worm 43 and the first input gear 35). Part 37 and base plate 4
0, each planetary gear 38 rotates in a planetary manner around the sun gear 34 to rotate the internal gear 41, and the internal gear 41
The switching gear 52 is switched to the D range and rotated by the output gear 42, and the switching shaft 28, the switching lever 15, the wire 16
The transmission 13 is switched to the D range via.

The above description is for the push switch 1 in the D range.
0d was pushed, but the push switches 10a to 10c, 10e, and 10f in other ranges were used.
The same applies to the case where is pushed.

As described above, when the first drive motor 17 is driven, the planetary gear 38,
The planetary rotation of the planetary gear is restricted, and the planetary gear 38,
Idles, the load on the second drive motor 18 side becomes the first
The second drive motor 18 does not affect the drive motor 17,
During the driving of the first driving motor 17, the rotation of the sun gear 34 is restricted only by the load on the first driving motor 17, and the planetary gear 38 performs a planetary rotational motion. 18 is not affected. Therefore, even if the first drive motor 17 stops driving due to a failure or the like, the range of the transmission 13 is quickly switched by the start of driving of the second drive motor 18.

Further, since the loads on the drive motors 17 and 18 do not affect each other, there is no accident that the drive motors 17 and 18 are liable to break down due to overload.

Next, after the transmission 13 is switched to the D range by, for example, pushing the push switch 10d in the D range, the vehicle is started by depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle speed is detected by the vehicle speed sensor 12 to a predetermined speed. When it is detected that the speed has become lower than the low speed value (for example, 5 km / H), a drive signal is output from the second control circuit of the microcontroller 11 to the third drive motor 19, and the third drive motor 19 is driven to drive the timing gear 53. Is rotated (θ1) from the position a to the position b. Due to the rotation of the timing gear 53, the pin 60 riding on the convex portion 53a becomes
And the first blocking claw 53 is swung inward.

Then, while driving in the D range (however, 100K
m / H), the push switches 10a to 10c and 10e in other ranges are pushed to operate the transmission 13
Can be switched to the corresponding range. However, since the first locking portion 51a of the switching cam 51 is locked to the first blocking claw 56 in the S range, the switching rotation of the switching cam 51 from the S range to the L range is performed. Is blocked. Therefore, for example, 60 km
Even if the push switch 10f is erroneously pushed while driving at / H, the switching cam 51 cannot be switched to the L range direction and rotated, so that the transmission 13 is not switched to the S range. As a result, there is no danger to the occupant due to a sudden downshift during normal running, and no damage to the gear system of the transmission 13.

When the vehicle speed sensor 12 detects that the vehicle speed has reached a predetermined high speed value (for example, 100 Km / H or more), a drive signal is output from the second control circuit of the microcontroller 11 to the third drive motor 19. , The third drive motor 19 is driven to rotate the timing gear 53 from the position b to the position c (θ1). This timing gear 53
With the rotation of the pin 61, the pin 61 riding on the convex portion 53b falls into the concave portion 53c, and the second blocking claw 53 swings inward. Since the pin 60 of the first blocking claw 53 remains in the recess 53c, the first blocking claw 53 is also swung inward.

The transmission 13 can be switched to the corresponding range by pushing the push switches 10c and 10e of the other ranges while driving in the D range, but the second engagement of the switching cam 51 in the N range. Stop part 51b is the second
Since the switching cam 51 is locked by the blocking claw 57, the switching rotation of the switching cam 51 from the N range to the R range and the P range is prevented. Similarly, the first locking portion 51 of the switching cam 51 in the S range
Since a is locked by the first locking claw 56, the switching rotation of the switching cam 51 from the S range to the L range is prevented. Therefore, for example, even if the push switch 10b or 10f is erroneously pushed during traveling at 120 Km / H, the switching cam 51 cannot be switched to the R range direction or the L range direction, and the transmission 13 is shifted to the R range or the S range. Does not switch. As a result, there is no occupant safety problem due to a sudden downshift during high-speed running, and the gear system of the transmission 13 is not damaged.

When the vehicle speed becomes less than 100 km / H, the projection 5
When the pin 61 rides on the 3b and the second blocking claw 57 swings outward to release the locking of the second locking portion 51b of the switching cam 51, while the vehicle speed becomes less than 5 km / H, the timing gear The pin 60 is attached to the projection 53a by the reverse rotation (θ1) of the pin 53.
, The first blocking claw 56 swings outward, and the locking of the first locking portion 51 a of the switching cam 51 is released.

Next, the operation and effect of the electric actuator of this embodiment will be described. In the switching device 14 of the present embodiment, the sun gear 34 and the internal gear are driven so that the switching gear 52 rotates with the same torque when driven by the first drive motor 17 and when driven by the second drive motor 18. Since the gear ratio of the gear 41 is set and a motor smaller than the driving force of the first driving motor 17 is used as the second driving motor 18, a small second driving motor 18 can be used, and the switching device can be used. 14
Can be reduced in size, weight, and cost.

For example, if the number of teeth of the sun gear 34 and the number of teeth of the internal gear 41 are 30 and 60, respectively, and the gear ratios of the first and second drive motors 17 and 18 when they are both driven are 2, the first and second gears The two drive motors 17 and 18 need to have the same torque. On the other hand, the sun gear 34 and the internal gear 4
The number of teeth of the first drive motor 17 is 35 and 60, respectively.
When the gear ratio at the time of driving is set to 1.715 and the gear ratio at the time of driving the second driving motor 18 is set to 2.404, the driving force of the second driving motor 18 is about 0.7 times the driving force of the first driving motor 17. A driving force motor can be used.

[0040]

As described above, according to the electric actuator according to the present invention, in an automotive automatic change in which the actuator is driven by an electric signal to switch the transmission to a predetermined range, the transmission is set to a predetermined range. A switching gear for switching, an internal gear having an output gear meshing with the switching gear, a first input gear rotated by a first actuator, a sun gear mounted on the first input gear, and rotated by a second actuator. A second input gear, a planetary gear mounted on the second input gear and meshing with the sun gear and the internal gear, and usually one of the first and second actuators is driven by a drive signal, and the one actuator A control circuit for controlling the other actuator to start driving by a driving signal when the driving of the second actuator is stopped due to a failure or the like. The driving force of the motor is set smaller than the driving force of the first actuator, and when driven in the first actuator, in the case of driving the second actuator,
Since the gear ratio between the sun gear and the internal gear is set so that the switching gear rotates with the same torque, a small-torque motor can be used for the other actuator for auxiliary driving, and
There is an effect that an electric actuator for an automatic change can be constructed without incurring an increase in weight and cost.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a switching device with a cover removed in an automobile automatic change to which the present invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line II of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line II-II of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line III-III of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an operation relationship among a timing gear, a switching cam, and a blocking member in the switching device.

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an operation relationship among a timing gear, a switching cam, and a blocking member in the switching device.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing an operation relationship among a timing gear, a switching cam, and a blocking member in the switching device.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a system of the above-mentioned auto change for a vehicle.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing an electric actuator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

Reference Signs List 13 transmission 14 switching device 17 first drive motor 18 second drive motor 33 first input gear 34 sun gear 36 second input gear 38 planetary gear 41 internal gear 52 switching gear

Claims (1)

(57) [Scope of request for utility model registration] 1. An automotive automatic changer for driving an actuator by an electric signal to switch a transmission to a predetermined range, comprising: a switching gear for switching the transmission to a predetermined range; and an output gear meshing with the switching gear. An internal gear, a first input gear rotated by a first actuator, a sun gear attached to the first input gear, a second input gear rotated by a second actuator, and a second input gear. A planetary gear that is mounted and meshes with the sun gear and the internal gear; and, usually, one of the first and second actuators is driven by a drive signal, and the other is stopped when one of the actuators is stopped due to a failure or the like. And a control circuit for controlling the start of the second actuator according to a drive signal. A gear of the sun gear and the internal gear so that the switching gear rotates at the same torque when the driving gear is set to be smaller than the driving force and is driven by the first actuator and when driven by the second actuator. An electric actuator, wherein the ratio is set.