Back to results
US 10,377,353 B2Granted
Park lock system for a hybrid electric vehicle
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsTodd Curtis Spaulding, Emad Al-Regib, Salim Sandakli
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems are provided for a park lock system for an automatic transmission. In one example, a park lock system may include a slideable element coupled to a park rod, a lock slot formed by the slideable element, a cam coupled to an end of a shaft, the shaft positioned within a solenoid and moveable by energization of the solenoid, and a pivotable pawl adapted to couple with the lock slot. In one example, the pivotable pawl is coupled to the lock slot by energization of the solenoid, and a position of the slideable element is locked.
Claims14
A park lock system, comprising:
- a park rod adapted to engage an automatic transmission park lever;
- a slideable element, including:
- a first end of the slideable element directly coupled to the park rod;
- and only one slot at a second end of the slideable element, the second end positioned opposite from the first end along a central axis of the slideable element;
- only one pivotable pawl including only one pivot and a first end of the pivotable pawl shaped to couple directly with the slot, wherein the pivotable pawl pivots around a first axis positioned perpendicular to the central axis of the slideable element at an opposing, second end of the pivotable pawl;
- a cam engaged with the pivotable pawl and coupled to a shaft;
- and a solenoid electromechanically coupled to the shaft;
- wherein an angled surface of the cam engages with the pivotable pawl in a direction parallel to the first axis and perpendicular to the central axis.
5 more elements
A method, comprising:
- locking a park rod of an automatic transmission of a hybrid-electric vehicle into a first position without a hydraulic system by energizing a solenoid to urge a cam at a first end of a shaft against a first end of a pivotable pawl, the shaft positioned between coils of the solenoid and having a base at an opposing, second end of the shaft coupled to a first biasing member of the solenoid, the first end of the pivotable pawl moving directly into engagement with a single slot of a slideable element of a park lock system coupled to the park rod by pivoting around a first axis positioned perpendicular to a central axis of the slideable element at an opposing, second end of the pivotable pawl;
- and
- releasing the park rod into a second position without the hydraulic system by de-energizing the solenoid and biasing the slideable element toward the park rod via a second biasing member offset from the central axis of the slideable element and coupled between an extension of the slideable element and a casing of the park lock system.
A vehicle system, comprising:
- an engine coupled with a motor and an automatic transmission for driving a vehicle;
- a powertrain control module electrically coupled between the transmission and a user interface element;
- and
- a park lock system positioned within the transmission, including:
- a park rod;
- a slideable element coupled to the park rod and including a single locking slot;
- only one pivotable pawl adapted to engage directly with the locking slot;
- a cam adapted to engage with the pivotable pawl;
- a shaft coupled to the cam;
- and
- an energizable solenoid coupled to the shaft;
- wherein the park lock system does not include a hydraulic system;
- wherein a first end of the slideable element is coupled to the park rod, and wherein the locking slot is positioned at a second end of the slideable element, opposite to the first end;
- and
- wherein a first biasing member is coupled between the solenoid and the shaft, and wherein the slideable element is biased toward the park rod by a second biasing member coupled between an extension of the slideable element and a casing of the park lock system, the second biasing member offset from a central axis of the slideable element.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.