Parking mechanism and method of operation thereof

A parking mechanism, comprising:

• one or more actuation mechanisms drivingly connected to at least a portion of a cam;
• a parking pawl having a first end portion and a second end portion with one or more parking pawl teeth extending outward from at least a portion of an inner surface of said first end portion;
• wherein said second end portion of said parking pawl has a parking pawl pin aperture having a size and shape to receive and/or retain at least a portion of a parking pawl pin therein;
• and
• wherein said first end portion of said parking pawl includes a rolling element extending from an outer surface of said first end portion and engageable with at least a portion of said cam;
• and
• a parking gear having one or more parking gear teeth extending outward from at least a portion of a body portion with an outer surface;
• wherein at least a portion of said one or more parking pawl teeth of said parking pawl are selectively engageable with at least a portion of said one or more parking gear teeth;
• wherein said one or more parking gear teeth of said parking gear have a cross-sectional profile or shape comprising, in order, a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, a fourth portion, a fifth portion, a sixth portion, and/or a seventh portions;
• wherein said first portion and said seventh portion of said cross-sectional profile or shape of said one or more parking gear teeth of said parking gear extend outward away from said outer surface of said body portion of said parking gear;
• and
• wherein said first portion and said seventh portion of said cross-sectional profile or shape of said one or more parking gear teeth have a substantially fillet shape, a substantially arcuate shape, a substantially radiused shape, and/or a substantially concave shape.

A method of making a parking mechanism for a vehicle, the parking mechanism including one or more actuation mechanisms, a cam, a parking pawl having one or more parking pawl teeth, a parking pawl pin, and/or a parking gear having one or more parking gear teeth;

• wherein the method comprises:
• identifying an amount of ejection force for said parking mechanism;
• determining a first contact point between said one or more parking pawl teeth and said one or more parking gear teeth in a first engaged position,
• determining a first force vector for the parking mechanism when in the first engaged position,
• determining a second contact point between said one or more parking pawl teeth and said one or more parking gear teeth in a second engaged position,
• determining a second force vector for the parking mechanism when in the second engaged position,
• determining a base circle diameter, a distance D2 from a center of the parking pawl pin to a first point, and/or a distance D3 from the center of the parking pawl pin to a second point, wherein said first force vector extends from said first contact point toward said parking pin, and wherein said second force vector extends from said second contact point toward said parking pawl pin;
• and
• altering the distance D2, the distance D3, the first force vector, the second force vector, the first contact point, and/or the second contact point to achieve the identified amount of ejection force for the parking mechanism.