JP6780568B2 - Shift range switching device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a shift range switching device including a detent lever that rotates with a shift operation.

In an automatic transmission of a vehicle, a parking range (P), a reverse range (R), a neutral range (N), a drive range (D), and the like are generally set as selectable shift ranges. As a method of selecting this shift range, the driver generally operates a shift lever installed near the driver's seat of the vehicle.

The shift range switching device for selecting a shift range includes a detent lever, a shift rod (or a shift cable), and an elastic member having a roller attached to one end (see, for example, Patent Document 1). ). The detent lever is for changing the state of the manual valve of the hydraulic control device for the shift range switching device that controls the automatic transmission as it is rotatably supported and driven to rotate. The shift rod (or shift cable) is for interlocking and connecting the detent lever and the shift lever. The roller is pressed against the arcuate outer peripheral surface of the detent lever by the urging force of the elastic member.

The detent lever is rotatably supported by the casing of the shift range switching device, and concave portions corresponding to each shift range and convex portions separating the concave portions are alternately formed on the outer peripheral surface of the detent lever. .. When the vehicle driver operates the shift lever, the detent lever rotates via the shift rod or the like, so that the roller rolls while contacting the concave portion and the convex portion of the detent lever. Then, when the roller is fitted into the concave portion corresponding to any of the shift ranges, the shift range corresponding to the concave portion is selected.

In such a shift range switching device, the shift lever is selected by operating the shift lever by changing the state of the manual valve of the hydraulic control device via the shift rod and the detent lever as the vehicle driver operates the shift lever. The shift range corresponding to the shift position is established in the automatic transmission.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-232223

Generally, the shift range switching device shifts between the R range and the P range in order to prevent the driver from accidentally switching to the P range (improves shift selectivity) when performing a shift operation. The operating load required for operation is set large. On the other hand, the shift operation between the R range and the N range is designed so that the operating load is smaller than the operating load between the R range and the P range in order to improve operability. Since the operating load of the shift operation of the driver is heavier as the height of the convex portion of the detent lever is higher, the height of the convex portion between the R range and the P range is higher, and the convex portion between the other ranges, For example, the height of the convex portion between the R range and the N range is designed to be low.

Therefore, when the convex part of the detent lever is raised (the distance from the center of rotation of the detent lever is lengthened) to move the shift lever from the P position where the operating load is set to be heavier to the R position, the momentum is increased. If it sticks too much, a so-called shift jump may occur in which the roller jumps over the convex portion between the R position and the N position and moves to the N position. In order to eliminate this shift jump, it is conceivable to raise the convex portion between the R position and the N position, that is, raise the height in the radial direction about the rotation axis of the detent lever.

However, if the convex portion is made too high, the inclination of the slope of the convex portion (the amount of change in the radial direction with respect to the amount of change in the angular direction) becomes large, so that the shift lever is operated to move the roller to the R position. A larger operating load is required when moving from the corresponding recess to the recess corresponding to the N position.

In other words, the sense of moderation related to shift position selectivity (the ability to change to the intended shift) and operability (light operating load) are conflicting items, and it was difficult to achieve both.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to apply a shift lever operating load in a predetermined section after starting to operate the shift lever when changing positions between adjacent positions. The purpose is to provide a constant shift range switching device.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is a detent that rotates with the operation of the shift lever of the driver and has a concave portion corresponding to each shift position of the shift lever and a convex portion separating the concave portions on the outer peripheral surface. The lever and the outer peripheral surface of the detent lever are pressed in the direction of the center of rotation of the detent lever, and as the detent lever rotates, the lever and the outer peripheral surface of the detent lever move relative to the direction of the center of rotation of the detent lever. The shift position is positioned by positioning the roller in the concave portion on the outer peripheral surface of the detent lever, and the reaction force applied by the roller to the convex portion gives an operating load to the shift lever. The tip of the first convex portion of the outer peripheral surface of the detent lever, which is provided between the concave portion corresponding to the P position and the concave portion corresponding to the R position adjacent to the P position. The distance from the rotation center of the detent lever is the detent lever at the tip of the second convex portion provided between the concave portion corresponding to the R position and the concave portion corresponding to the N position adjacent to the R position. The shape of the second convex portion, which is longer than the distance from the center of rotation of, causes the detent lever to rotate when the detent lever is rotated to move the roller between the R position and the N position. It is characterized in that the operating load of the shift lever required for this purpose is set to be a constant load in a predetermined section immediately after the detent lever is rotated.

In the present invention, when the position is changed between adjacent positions, the operating load of the shift lever is kept constant in a predetermined section after the shift lever starts to move, so that the shift can be suppressed while suppressing the deterioration of the operational feeling due to the increase in the operating load. Selectivity can be increased.

It is a figure explaining the structure of the detent lever provided in the shift range switching device which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the shift lever torque with respect to the shift lever angle in the shift range switching device of this invention and the conventional shift range switching device.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail.

The shift range switching device of the present invention is mounted on a vehicle equipped with a transmission that transmits torque from a power source such as an engine to wheels, and is connected to a shift lever operated by a driver. The shift range switching device includes a detent lever for operating the manual valve of the hydraulic control device that controls the transmission, a shift rod (or shift cable) for interlocking the detent lever and the shift lever, and a roller at one end. It is configured to include a detent spring to which the is attached. The detent lever is rotatably fixed to the casing of the range switching device, and concave portions corresponding to each shift range of the transmission and convex portions separating the concave portions are alternately formed on the outer peripheral surface of the detent lever. There is. The roller is pressed in the radial direction of the detent lever by the urging force of the detent spring against the outer peripheral surface of the detent lever, and moves relative to the outer peripheral surface of the detent lever as the detent lever rotates.

The transmission has, as a shift range for controlling the transmission, for example, a parking (P) range, a reverse (R) range, a neutral (N) range, a drive (D) range, a second (2) range, and a low (L) range. ) The range can be selectively switched. In this case, the detent lever has at least 6 recesses corresponding to each shift range and 5 protrusions between them. The outer peripheral surface of the detent lever, which comes into contact with the roller when the roller is fitted in the concave portion of the detent lever, has an outer convex arc shape whose center of curvature is on the opposite side of the outer peripheral surface of the detent lever. A convex portion is formed between adjacent concave portions.

When the vehicle driver performs an operation to change the shift position of the shift lever, the rotation operation torque is transmitted to the detent lever via the shift rod or the like, the detent lever rotates, and the roller contacts the concave portion and the convex portion of the detent lever. Roll while rolling. When the roller fits into the recess corresponding to the shift position selected by the vehicle driver, the detent lever is fixed and the state of the manual valve of the hydraulic control device is determined according to the fixed angle. The hydraulic control device controls the shift range of the transmission according to the state of the manual valve determined by the rotation angle of the detent lever for each shift position. In this way, the shift range switching device makes it possible to select the shift range of the transmission by operating the shift lever by the vehicle driver.

As shown in FIG. 1, the detent lever 1 provided in the shift range switching device of the present invention has recesses C _P , C _R , and C _N corresponding to the P position, the R position, and the N position in this order. In addition to these, the detent lever 1 may be provided with recesses (not shown) corresponding to, for example, the D position, the 2 position, and the L position.

The detent lever 1 has a convex portion D _PR between the concave portion C _P corresponding to the P position and the concave portion C _R corresponding to the R position, and a concave portion C _R corresponding to the R position and a concave portion C _N corresponding to the N position. A convex portion D _RN is formed between the two. Protrusion D _PR is the height from the rotation center O _D of the detent lever 1 (the radial height) is formed to be higher than the protrusion D _RN. Further, the operating load of the shift lever required to rotate the detent lever 1 for changing the position between the R position and the N position is substantially reduced in the rotation direction for a predetermined period from the start of the movement of the shift lever. as a constant value, and sets the slope of some sections d of the inclined surface of the protrusion D _RN (radial variation amount with respect to the angular orientation of the variation) between the recess C _R and the recess C _N .. Interval d is the fitted state the roller 2 when the rotation torque to the detent lever 1 has not occurred is stationary in the recess C _R by the spring pressure of the detent spring, is fitted, the roller 2 and the convex portion D _RN It is a predetermined section from the position p in contact with the tip of the convex portion D _RN .

When the detent biasing force of the spring having a direction passing through the rotation center O _D of the detent lever 1 from the rotation center O _r of the roller 2, F, rollers from the detent spring in a state in which the roller 2 is in contact only with the convex portion D _RN A rotational torque T is generated in the detent lever 1 via 2. Here, and the detent lever 1 is stationary while the roller 2 is in contact only with the convex portion D _RN, a vertical force f with respect to the biasing force F and the urging force F from the rotation center O _r of the roller 2 Consider the case where the resultant force F _S is balanced with the reaction force from the outer peripheral surface of the detent lever 1 at the position p where the detent lever 1 and the roller 2 are in contact with each other. Here, the angle θ shown in FIG. 1, the direction of the biasing force F of the detent spring (straight line L _r passing through the rotational center O _D center of rotation O _r and detent lever 1 roller 2), the roller 2 rotating center This is the angle formed by the straight line l _p passing through the position p where _Or , the roller 2, and the convex portion are in contact with each other. The distance h is the distance from the contact point p of the roller 2 and the convex portion D _RN to the rotational center O _D of the detent lever 1.

Force F _S acting on detent lever 1 from the roller 2 at the contact p of this time 'is equal to the resultant force F _S of the biasing force F and the force f, the rotational center O _D force F of the detent lever 1' And its force F'can be decomposed into a force f'perpendicular to that force F'. The rotational torque T of the detent lever 1 can be expressed as the product of this force f'and the distance h as shown in the following equation (1).

The force f'is the angle θ'formed by the direction of the force F'and the direction of the resultant force F _S '(or the straight line l _p ).

It is expressed as. Also,

Because it is

Will be. The angle theta ', so is the outer angle of ∠O _r pO _D, when the ∠pO _D O _r and the angle theta _D,

Will be. From these equations (2), (5), and (6), the rotational torque T is expressed as follows.

Here, the distance H from the rotation center O _r of the roller 2 to the rotational center O _D of the detent lever 1 from the cosine theorem,

Will be. Also, from the law of sines,

Will be. When the torque T is constant and the urging force F is known, the radius r is constant, so the relational expression between the distance h and the angle θ'is from equations (7), (9), and (10). can get. Based on the relationship between the distance h and the angle theta 'obtained from these equations, because the normal direction is determined surface of the protrusion D _RN according to the distance h from the center of rotation O _D of the detent lever 1, section d be determined the position of the lower end of the recess C _R side, it is possible to determine the shape of the section d of the convex portion D _RN is constant torque T.

The maximum value of the operating load is determined by the maximum value and the minimum value of the shift lever torque in FIG. 2, and the smaller the interval between the maximum value and the minimum value, the better the operability. Further, as the height of the convex portion of the detent lever increases and the inclination of the slope of the convex portion increases, the inclination of the shift lever torque increases.

In the conventional detent mechanism, in order to improve the operability, the height of the convex portion may be lowered to reduce the inclination of the slope of the convex portion, and the shift lever torque may be set as shown by the curve c in FIG. .. For example, when increasing the spring pressure of the cam spring attached to the parking rod connected to the detent lever in order to improve the vehicle holding performance on a slope in the P position, or when reducing the shift operation force, the friction of the shift operation system. And the height of the convex part of the detent lever may be lowered. As shown in the curve c of FIG. 2, the operating load from the R position to the adjacent N position is maximized at the beginning of the stroke of the shift lever, and then decreases as the stroke amount increases. That is, the maximum value of the shift lever torque at this time is the position of the R position, and the minimum value is the position of the N position. In this case, the operating load is low and the operability is excellent, but the height of the convex portion is low and the inclination of the slope of the convex portion is small, so that the sense of moderation is lowered and the shift selectivity is not excellent.

On the other hand, when the height of the convex portion of the detent lever is high and the inclination of the slope of the convex portion is large, the shift lever torque becomes as shown by the curve b. As shown in the curve b of FIG. 2, when the inclination of the slope of the convex portion is increased and the operating load increases from the beginning of the stroke of the shift lever and the maximum operating load is larger than the operating load at the beginning of the stroke, the moderation for each position While the feeling is enhanced, the feeling of operation deteriorates. That is, the maximum value of the shift lever torque at this time is larger than the curve c (around -7 °), and the minimum value of the shift lever torque is smaller than the curve c (around -2 °), so that the operating load is heavy. As a result, operability deteriorates.

On the other hand, in the present invention, since the convex portion is raised as much as possible without increasing the operating load, it is possible to improve the shift position selectivity, suppress the shift skip, and at the same time minimize the deterioration of the operating feeling. In the present invention, as shown in the curve a of FIG. 2, the height of the convex portion of the detent lever and the inclination of the slope of the convex portion are set so that the operating load becomes constant (so that the curve a). The rotation operation torque of the detent lever is substantially constant for a certain section from the initial stage of the shift operation, and the inclination of the slope of the convex portion between the R range and the N range is large within a range in which the operation load does not increase from the operation load at the initial stage of the shift operation. To do. That is, the convex portion between the R range and the N range is increased within a range in which the operating load does not increase from the operating load at the initial stage of the shift operation. Since the maximum and minimum values of the shift lever torque are the same as those of the curve c, the operating load has not changed. However, since the height of the convex portion is higher than that of the example of the curve c, the shift selectivity can be improved. This makes it possible to improve shift selectivity while suppressing deterioration of the operation feeling due to an increase in the operation load.

1 Detent lever 2 Roller

Claims (1)

A detent lever that rotates with the operation of the shift lever of the driver and has a concave portion corresponding to each shift position of the shift lever and a convex portion separating the concave portions on the outer peripheral surface, and the outer peripheral surface of the detent lever. A roller that is pressed in the direction of the center of rotation of the detent lever and moves relative to the center of rotation of the detent lever along the outer peripheral surface of the detent lever as the detent lever rotates, is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the detent lever. A shift range switching device in which a shift position is positioned by positioning the roller in the concave portion, and an operating load is applied to the shift lever by a reaction force applied by the roller to the convex portion.
From the rotation center of the detent lever at the tip of the first convex portion provided between the concave portion corresponding to the P position and the concave portion corresponding to the R position adjacent to the P position on the outer peripheral surface of the detent lever. The distance is longer than the distance from the rotation center of the detent lever at the tip of the second convex portion provided between the concave portion corresponding to the R position and the concave portion corresponding to the N position adjacent to the R position. ,
The shape of the second convex portion is an operating load of the shift lever required to rotate the detent lever when the detent lever is rotated to move the roller between the R position and the N position. Is a shift range switching device, characterized in that the load is set to be constant in a predetermined section immediately after the detent lever is rotated.

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