JPH0953709A - Shift position detecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To constantly detect an accurate shift position by preventing a rotor from being shifted from a switch due to mounting operations or vibration of a vehicle, etc. SOLUTION: A shift position detecting device is provided with a turning member 20 which can turn in answer to a shifting operation in a casing 10, and a switching means 30 which operates by the displacement of the turning member 20. The turning member 20 consists of a shaft part 21 turnably supported in the casing 10, and a rotor part 22 which turns together with the shaft part 21. The rotor part 22 is turnably supported in the casing 10 by a guide means G for keeping the face position of the rotor part 22 constant with respect to the switching part 30, regardless of whether the shaft part 21 is radially shifted or inclined with reapect to the casing 10.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a position detecting device, and more particularly to a shift position detecting device for detecting a range change in a selection operation of an automatic transmission.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art There are various types of conventional shift position detecting devices, such as a non-contact type using an optical sensor and a magnetic sensor, a contact type for switching contacts, and the like. Each of them includes a shaft that rotates in response to a driver's operation of a shift lever, and a rotor that rotates integrally with the shaft, and the rotor is rotated by an angle of rotation in accordance with an operation of the driver's shift lever. Alternatively, a sensor (collectively referred to as switch means in the present specification) is turned on / off or pulse-counted, and the rotation angle of the rotor is detected by a combination of on / off signals and integration of the number of pulses. It is configured to determine the shift lever position.

[0003]

By the way, the position of the rotor with respect to the switch means in such a detection device, more specifically, the distance (gap) between the rotor and the switch means.
However, it is very important to keep the position detection accuracy constant over the entire rotation angle of the rotor. For example, in a non-contact type shift position detecting device using the above-mentioned conventional optical sensor as a switch means, light from a light emitting portion including a light emitting diode or the like is reflected on a rotor or a slit formed in the rotor is transmitted to photo Since it is configured to be received by the light-receiving part made up of a transistor, etc., the shaft may move up and down with respect to the switch means due to a shift during mounting work of the shift position detection device to a predetermined position in the automatic transmission, or vibration after mounting When moving or tilting, the distance between the switch means and the rotor changes,
There is a possibility that light from the light emitting unit is not input to a predetermined light receiving unit corresponding to the light emitting unit, or light from another light emitting unit that is not originally supported is input to the light receiving unit. These problems can also be said in the case of using a magnetic sensor.
In this case, a change in the gap causes a change in the number of magnetic force lines detected by the sensor, which causes a pulse number counting error.

The same applies to contact switches. In this case, the vertical movement of the shaft with respect to the switch means causes contact failure of the contact, and the tilt of the shaft causes a deviation of the rotation trajectory of the rotor, resulting in an erroneous signal output or an unintended contact between the contacts. The signal may be output. Therefore, when such a state occurs, the discriminating device cannot consequently accurately determine the shift position.

Therefore, the present invention provides a shift position detecting means which can always detect an accurate shift position without changing the position of the rotor with respect to the switch means even if displacement or vibration occurs during mounting. Is the first purpose.

A second object of the present invention is to realize the above accurate shift position detection in a non-contact type position detecting device.

A third object of the present invention is to make it possible to detect the above-mentioned accurate shift position without requiring an improvement in machining accuracy.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above first object, the present invention provides a casing, a rotating member which is disposed in the casing, and which rotates in response to a shift operation, and the rotating member. In a shift position detecting device, which is disposed in the casing so as to face the member and which is operated by the displacement of the rotating member, and a determination means which determines the shift lever position according to the operation of the switch means. The rotating member includes a shaft portion that rotatably supports the casing member and a rotor portion that extends from the shaft portion and that rotates together with the shaft portion. The rotor portion is supported by the casing. The casing has a leg portion, and the casing is provided with guide means that is disposed along a movement trajectory of the leg portion and slidably supports the leg portion.

In order to achieve the second object, the switch means comprises a signal output means and a signal detection means, and the detection means and the output means with respect to the rotating member. The detection means is arranged in a non-contact state, and the detection means is set to the first and second states depending on whether the output of the output means is input to the detection means by the displacement of the rotating member, and the determination means is A configuration is adopted in which the shift lever position is determined based on the first state and the second state of the detection unit, and the guide unit holds the surface position of the rotor portion with respect to the switch unit constant regardless of the displacement of the rotating member. To be

Further, in order to achieve the third object, the shaft portion and the rotor portion are formed separately, and the rotor portion is connected to the shaft portion so as to be displaceable in the axial and radial directions. To be done.

[0011]

According to the present invention having the above-described structure, since the rotating member rotates while the leg portion provided on the rotor portion is supported by the guide means provided on the casing, the displacement and vibration at the time of mounting are caused. Even if the above occurs, the positional relationship between the rotating member and the switch means does not change. Therefore, accurate position detection can always be performed.

Further, according to the second aspect of the invention, the rotating member rotates while the leg portion provided on the rotor portion is supported by the guide means provided on the casing. Even if the above occurs, the surface position of the rotating member with respect to the output means and the detecting means does not change due to the rotational displacement and is kept constant. Therefore, the output of the output means is always input to the corresponding detection means, and accurate position detection can be performed.

Further, according to the third aspect of the present invention, the shaft portion and the rotor portion are formed as separate bodies, and are connected slidably in the axial direction and the radial direction of the shaft portion, and both are integrally rotated. In addition to the above effects, a larger manufacturing error is allowed in the distance between the hole for mounting the shaft portion in the casing and the guide means and the distance between the shaft portion and the leg portion in addition to the above effect, and the productivity is improved. .

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. 1 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the schematic cross section of FIG. 1, the shift position detecting device includes a casing 10 and a rotating member 20 that is disposed in the casing 10 and that rotates according to a shift operation.
A plurality of switch means 30 arranged in the casing 10 facing the rotating member 20 and operated by the displacement of the rotating member 20, and a shift lever position determined according to the operation of the switch means 30 are not shown. It comprises a discriminating means.

As shown schematically in FIG. 2, the rotating member 20 includes a hollow shaft portion 21 rotatably supported by the casing 10 and a shaft portion 21 extending in the radial direction. It is composed of a fan-shaped rotor portion 22 that rotates together with the portion 21. The rotor portion 22 may be integrated with the shaft portion 21, but in this embodiment, the shaft portion 21
The hollow shaft 21 is connected to a connecting portion 21a extending from the hollow shaft portion 21 in the radial direction by loose meshing of gear-shaped teeth. A plurality of slits 23a and 23b, which are arranged in the circumferential direction, are formed on the fan-shaped rotor portion 22 at appropriate positions on five concentric circles having different diameters. Among these slits, the three rows of slits 23a on the inner peripheral side have various slit lengths in the circumferential direction, and the two rows of slits 23b on the outer peripheral side have short slits of the same shape with the same circumferential length. It is said that.

The rotor portion 22 has legs 24 supported by the casing 10 in accordance with the present invention. The leg portion 24 is formed as a pair of inner and outer circumferential concentric arcs and a pair of front and back sides on the radially outermost side and the innermost circumferential side of the slit array, and the casing 10 has a locus of movement of the leg portion 24. There is provided a guide means G which is arranged along the above and which slidably supports the leg portion 24. In this embodiment, the guide means G is a rail 11 having a channel-shaped cross section, and the rail 11 on one side (upper side in FIG. 1) of the plate surface of the rotor portion 22 is integrally molded with the casing 10 or fixed as a separate body. Has been done.
The rail 11 on the other side (lower side in FIG. 1) of the plate surface of the rotor portion 22 is a substrate 40 to which the switch means 30 is attached.
And is fixed to the substrate 40 either integrally with the substrate 40 or separately.

The switch means 30 is composed of a photocoupler in this embodiment, and is constituted by combining a signal output means 31 composed of a light emitting diode and a signal detection means 32 composed of a phototransistor (switch. (See FIG. 3 which schematically shows the operation of the means). A switch means 30 including a detection means 32 and an output means 31 (in order to distinguish individual switch means from each other, the abbreviation S1 is used for each).
Up to S5) is the diameter of the rotor portion 22 on the substrate 40 so as to be in a non-contact state with a predetermined gap g (see FIG. 3) maintained with respect to the plate surface of the rotor portion 22 of the rotating member 20. Are arranged side by side in one direction, and the detection means 32 includes the rotating member 2
The slit 23 formed in the rotor portion 22 by the displacement of 0
In cooperation with a and 23b, the first state, that is, the ON state and the second state, that is, the OFF state, are set depending on whether the output of the output unit 31 is input to the detection unit 32. That is, the detecting means 32 is turned on when the light as the output of the output means 31 is reflected by a portion of the rotor portion 22 where the slit 23 is not present and is input to the detecting means 32 due to the displacement of the rotor portion 22, and the light is emitted. When it is not input to the detection means 32 because it has passed through the slit forming portion of the rotor portion 22, it remains off.

The discriminating means (not shown) is composed of an electronic circuit incorporated in the substrate 40 and a program in the electronic control unit of the automatic transmission, and is in the first state of the detecting means 32, that is, the phototransistor is turned on. , The second state, that is, the shift lever position is determined based on the OFF state of the phototransistor.

Thus, the rotating member 20 is provided with the switch means 30 by the guide means G, that is, the rail 11 provided on the casing 10 and the leg portion 24 provided on the rotor portion 22.
The surface position of the rotor portion 22 with respect to is held constant regardless of displacement. In this embodiment, the shaft portion 21 and the rotor portion 22, which are separately configured, are connected by the gear-shaped meshing as described above, but the mutual connection is relatively loose. 22 is displaceable in the shaft portion 21 in the axial direction and the radial direction.

In the shift position detecting device constructed as described above, the rotation of the shift lever L on the shift device side about the axis X is automatically transmitted through the control wire W as shown in FIG. Outer lever A on the transmission body side
And the manual shaft S rotates. Then, the rotation of the manual shaft S rotates the rotating member 20 attached thereto. The figure shows the state in which the shift lever L is in the neutral “N” position, and from this state, when the knob of the lever L is pushed forward (to the right in the figure), that is, in the “R” or “P” position direction, the wire When the outer lever A is pulled by W and rotates in the direction of the black arrow shown in the drawing, and when the knob of the lever L is pulled backward, that is, in the "D", "3", "2", and "L" position directions, it pushes against the wire W. Then, the outer lever A rotates in the direction of the outlined arrow in the figure.

When the rotating member 20 is rotationally displaced in this way, the slits 23a, 23 for the respective switch means 30 are formed.
The position of b changes. For example, in the position of FIG. 2, only the switch means S2 is in the position corresponding to the slit 23a, so that the switch means S2 is turned off and the other two switch means S1 and S3 are turned on. Further, when the rotor portion 22 is rotationally displaced slightly clockwise from the position of FIG. 2, the positions of the respective switch means S1 to S3 and the slit 23a.
Since the positions of 3 and 4 coincide, all of the switch means S1 to S3 are turned off. Switch means 3 thus obtained
The on / off matrix of 0 is recognized as a specific shift position by the arithmetic processing by the above-mentioned discrimination means, and the shift position is specified.

In this embodiment, the slits 23b having a constant shape are provided at equal intervals as described above, but these slits 23b cooperate with both switches S4 and S5 to rotate the rotor portion 22. The ON / OFF operation is repeated according to the displacement, the pulse signal is sent to the discriminating means, and the integrated processing of the pulse signal is used to detect the displacement amount from the displacement start position to the displacement end position for each operation of the rotor unit 22. It Such detection of the displacement amount of the rotor portion 22 eliminates the need for the initial positioning of the rotor portion 22 in the rotational direction with respect to the position of the switch means 30, and also enables the switches S1 to S to be positioned.
It can also be effectively utilized for correction of detection error calculation due to comparison with the signal detected by the operation of 3.

Next, FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment in which the guide means G in the above embodiment is partially modified. In this case, unlike the previous embodiment, instead of the leg 24 on the outer peripheral side of the rotor portion 22 and the corresponding rail 11 on the outer peripheral side of the casing 10, the outer peripheral portion of the rotor portion 22 is supported as the leg portion 24 '. A rail 11 'having a channel-shaped cross section with the guide surface facing the inner peripheral side of the casing 10 is provided. With respect to the rest of the configuration, the members corresponding to those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description is omitted (the same applies to other subsequent embodiments). The object of the present invention can also be achieved by adopting such a configuration.

Next, FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment in which the shape of the guide means G in the first embodiment is changed. In this case, the rail 1 having a channel-shaped cross section with respect to the rotor portion 22
Instead of No. 1, a rail 11 ″ having a concave arc-shaped cross section is formed as guide means G on the casing 10 and the base plate 40, and the rail 11 ″ supports the leg portion 24 extending from the rotor portion 22.

By the way, the switch means 30 may be of another type. FIG. 7 shows a fourth embodiment in which the configuration of the switch means in the first embodiment is changed. In this case, the switch means is of a type that operates by transmission of transmitted light or magnetic field lines. That is, the switch means 30 ′ composed of the light emitting diode and the phototransistor or the permanent magnet and the hall element is arranged to face the opposite side with the plate surface of the rotor portion 22 in between. According to such a switch means 30 ', the detection means 32' consisting of a phototransistor or a Hall element receives the light from the light emitting diode forming the output means 31 'or the magnetic line of force from the permanent magnet when it coincides with the slit 23 of the rotor part 22. Alternatively, it is turned on by receiving it, and turned off by blocking light or magnetic force lines at a position without the slit 23, so the on / off relationship is opposite to that of the first embodiment, but the substantial function is provided. Does not change. Therefore, even when the switch means has such a structure, the effect of providing the guide means G is similarly exhibited. That is,
When the rotor 22 is tilted or displaced, the light or magnetic force line is blocked at an unintended position, or reflected or refracted by the side surface of the slit 23 so that it cannot accurately reach the detection means 32 '. This is the same as in the above case, and such a problem is solved by providing the guiding means G.

Next, FIG. 8 shows a fifth embodiment in which the configuration of the switch means in the first embodiment is changed. In this case, the switch means 30 ″ is of the contact type. That is, the movable terminal 33 is fixed to the rotor portion 22, and the fixed terminal 34 corresponding to the movable terminal 33 is provided on the casing 10. Then, in this case, the rail 11 and the leg portion 24 forming the guide means G are the rotor portion 2
It is provided only on the side opposite to the terminals on the two plate surfaces. In the case of such a switch means 30 '' as well, if tilting or misalignment of the rotor portion 22 similarly occurs, there is a possibility of erroneous detection if an unintended terminal comes into contact with the terminal or contact failure of the terminal occurs. This is the same as the case of the first embodiment, and the substantial effect of providing the guide means G does not change.

FIG. 9 shows a sixth embodiment in which the switch means is further changed. In this case, the switch means 30 '''
Permanent magnets 31 '''as input means finely divided and arranged along the arc surface of the rotor portion 22 of the rotating member 20.
The magnetic sensor 32 '''for detecting the displacement of is used as the detection means. In such a configuration, the switch means 30 ′ ″ has the same structure as the two rows of slits 23b provided on the outer peripheral side and the switch means S4 and S5 corresponding to the slits 23b provided on the outer peripheral side in the first embodiment. A signal detection function for detecting rotational displacement as a pulse occurs. Also in the case of such a switch means 30 ''', the substantial effect obtained by providing the guide means G does not change.

Further, the form of the rotating member 20 can be changed. FIG. 10 shows a seventh embodiment in which the shape of the rotating member 20 in the first embodiment is changed. In this case, the rotor portion 22 'of the rotating member 20' is formed into a lever shape that does not expand in the circumferential direction. This rotor part 22 '
According to the shape of the switch means, the switch means 30 are reversely arranged side by side on an arc, and each switch means 30 has a one-to-one correspondence.
Is configured to correspond to each shift position.

As described above in detail, in any of the above-described embodiments, the rotating members 20 and 20 'have the leg portions 24 provided on the rotor portion 22 by the guide means G provided on the casing 10. Since it rotates while being supported, even when the shaft portion 21 of the rotating member 20 is tilted or axially displaced due to vibration or the like, the rotor portions 22 and 22 'of the rotating members 20 and 20' and the switch means 30 and 30 are provided. ', 3
The positional relationship of 0 ″ does not change. Therefore,
Accurate position detection can always be performed. In particular, when the rotor portion 22 is formed separately from the shaft portion 21 and is connected slidably in the axial direction and the radial direction of the shaft portion 21, the shaft portion mounting hole in the casing 10 and the guide means G. A slight error is allowed between the distance between and and the distance between the shaft portion 21 and the leg portion 24, and the productivity is improved.

The present invention has been described above in detail based on the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the disclosure of the above embodiments, and various details can be obtained within the scope of the matters described in the claims. It goes without saying that the specific configuration can be changed and implemented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a first embodiment of a shift position detecting device of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the above embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an operation explanatory view showing an operation of the shift position detecting device of the above embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the relationship between the shift position detecting device and the shift mechanism of the above embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a second embodiment in which the guide means of the shift position detecting device of the invention is changed.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a third embodiment in which the guide means of the shift position detecting device of the invention is further modified.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a fourth embodiment in which the switch means of the shift position detecting device of the invention is modified.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view showing a fifth embodiment in which both the switch means and the guide means of the shift position detecting device of the invention are changed.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing a sixth embodiment in which the switch means of the shift position detecting device of the invention is further modified.

FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a seventh embodiment in which the rotating member of the shift position detecting device of the invention is changed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Casing 20 Rotating Member 21 Shaft Part 22 Rotor Part 24 Leg Part 30 Switch Means 31 Output Means 32 Detecting Means G Guide Means

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Toshiya Morishita 10 Takane, Fujii-cho, Anjo City, Aichi Prefecture Aisin AW Co., Ltd. (72) Naoto Ogasawara 10 Takane, Fujii-cho, Anjo City, Aichi Prefecture Aisin・ AW Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Naotaka Murakami 10 Takane, Fujii-cho, Anjo City, Aichi Prefecture・ AW Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A casing, a rotating member which is arranged in the casing and rotates in response to a shift operation, and a displacement of the rotating member which is arranged in the casing so as to face the rotating member. In the shift position detecting device, the rotating member includes a switch means that is operated by the switch, and a determining means that determines the shift lever position according to the operation of the switch means. And a rotor portion extending from the shaft portion and rotating together with the shaft portion, the rotor portion having a leg portion supported by the casing, and the casing having a movement trajectory of the leg portion. A shift position detecting device, characterized in that it has guide means arranged along the same to slidably support the legs. 2. The switch means comprises a signal output means and a signal detection means, and the detection means and the output means are arranged in a non-contact state with the rotating member, and the detection means. Is brought into a first state and a second state depending on whether or not the output of the output means is inputted to the detection means by the displacement of the rotating member, and the determination means sets the first state and the second state of the detection means. 2. The shift position detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the shift lever position is determined based on the shift lever position, and the guide unit holds the surface position of the rotor unit with respect to the switch unit constant regardless of the displacement of the rotating member. 3. The shift position detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the shaft portion and the rotor portion are formed as separate bodies, and the rotor portion is connected to the shaft portion so as to be displaceable in the axial and radial directions.