Power transmission with electromechanical actuator
AssigneeVisteon Global Technologies, Inc.
InventorsNorman Szalony, James Foukes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automotive transmission is equipped with a variety of gears that may be combined to yield one or more output speeds as compared to an input speed. One or more electromechanical actuators is used to engage or disengage a particular desired mix of gears. The electromechanical actuator engages one mix of gears or another to set the desired ratio of input speed to output speed. The transmission may be used to provide a straight-through, an underdrive speed range, or an overdrive speed range in an automotive transmission.
Claims30
An electromechanical actuator for engaging a shaft, the electromechanical actuator comprising:
- a fixedly mounted housing;
- a plurality of roller elements within the housing;
- a split ring around the shaft and within the housing, said ring urging the roller elements against an inside surface of the housing;
- and
- an engaging device, wherein the engaging device urges the split ring against the shaft.
A method of manufacturing an electromechanical actuator, the method comprising:
- molding a cage having a plurality of separating elements and a surface for engaging an engaging device;
- manufacturing an outer race and an inner race, at least one of the outer race and inner race having a cammed surface;
- and
- manufacturing a plurality of roller elements.
An auxiliary transmission comprising:
- an input shaft, an output shaft, and a housing;
- a planetary transmission connected with the shafts;
- a sleeve connected with the planetary transmission;
- and
- an electromechanical actuator having a cammed surface, the actuator in rotatable contact with the sleeve and fixed to the housing, wherein the auxiliary transmission has a first gear ratio when the sleeve rotates and a second gear ratio when the actuator prevents rotation of the sleeve.
A transmission for use in an automotive application comprising:
- a housing containing an input shaft, an output shaft, and a ring gear mounted to the output shaft;
- at least one planet gear set connected to the ring gear;
- a sun gear in rotatable contact with the planet gear set, the sun gear concentric with the input shaft;
- and
- an electromechanical actuator with a cammed surface mounted to the housing.
An actuator, comprising:
- an inner race for connecting with a first drive;
- an outer race for connecting with a second drive;
- and
- a cage and a plurality of roller elements, the cage between the inner and outer races, wherein at least one of an inner surface of the outer race and an outer surface of the inner race is a cammed surface.
A two-speed transmission, comprising:
- an input shaft and an output shaft;
- a planetary transmission connecting the input shaft and the output shaft;
- an electromechanical actuator having a cammed surface and an engagement device for rotating a portion of the electromechanical actuator, wherein the two-speed transmission has a first output ratio when the electromechanical actuator is in a first position and has a second output ratio when the electromechanical actuator is in a second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.