# US 2019/0170244 A1 · Actuating device for a parking lock > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170244 A1 - Document ID: US20190170244A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/327,504 - Filed: 2017-07-17 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-08-23 - Assignees: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Applicants: ZF Friedrichshafen AG - Inventors: Alexander Kirilenko; Alex Hessel; Torsten Aumann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170244A1 ## CPC - F16H 59/105: {consisting of electrical switches or sensors} - F16H 63/48: Signals to a parking brake {or parking lock; Control of parking locks or brakes being part of the transmission} - H03K 17/968: using opto-electronic devices - H03M 1/285: {of the unit Hamming distance type, e.g. Gray code} - G01D 5/34746: {Linear encoders} - H03K 2217/94104: using a light barrier - F16H: GEARING - H03K: PULSE TECHNIQUE (measuring pulse characteristics G01R; modulating sinusoidal oscillations with pulses H03C; transmission of digital information H04L; discriminator circuits detecting phase difference between two signals by counting or integrating cycles of oscillation H03D3/04; automatic control, starting, synchronisation or stabilisation of generators of electronic oscillations or pulses where the type of generator is irrelevant or unspecified H03L; coding, decoding or code conversion, in general H03M) - H03M: CODING; DECODING; CODE CONVERSION IN GENERAL (using fluidic means F15C4/00; optical analogue/digital converters G02F7/00; coding, decoding or code conversion, specially adapted for particular applications, see the relevant subclasses, e.g. G01D, G01R, G06F, G06T, G09G, G10L, G11B, G11C, H04B, H04L, H04M, H04N; ciphering or deciphering for cryptography or other purposes involving the need for secrecy G09C) - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An actuating device for selecting a gear of a shift-by-wire gearshift transmission may include a housing, a selection lever movable along at least one shift gate between at least a driving position and a parking lock position, a mechanical transfer element for transferring the movement of the selection lever to the gearshift transmission for actuating the parking lock, and a coupling system arranged between the selection lever and the transfer element, where the coupling system includes a slider element embodied to move in accordance with the movement of the selection lever. The actuating device may include an optical sensor arrangement arranged within the housing and including at least one transmitter/receiver pair having a transmitter and a receiver. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An actuating device for selecting a gear of a shift-by-wire gearshift transmission, the actuating device comprising: a housing; a selection lever movable along at least one shift gate between at least a driving position and a parking lock position; a mechanical transfer element for transferring the movement of the selection lever to the gearshift transmission for actuating the parking lock; and a coupling system arranged between the selection lever and the transfer element, wherein the coupling system comprises a slider element embodied to move in accordance with the movement of the selection lever, wherein the actuating device comprises an optical sensor arrangement arranged within the housing and comprising at least one transmitter/receiver pair having a transmitter and a receiver, wherein the slider element comprises a window structure such that when the slider element is in a first position corresponding to the driving position of the selection lever, the slider element interrupts an electromagnetic signal emitted from the transmitter or passes the electromagnetic signal through the window structure, and when the slider element is in a second position corresponding to the parking lock position of the selection lever, the slider element respectively passes the electromagnetic signal through the window structure or interrupts the electromagnetic signal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one transmitter/receiver pair is configured to transmit and receive infrared electromagnetic signals. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer element is a Bowden cable. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the window structure is formed by a wall of the slider element arranged, the wall extending along the direction of the movement of the slider element, wherein the wall comprises a plurality of openings defining the window structure. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one transmitter/receiver pair includes an optical fork. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The actuating device according to claim 5, wherein the optical fork is arranged on a printed circuit board, wherein the slider element is configured to move relative to the printed circuit board, and wherein a wall is positioned between the transmitter and the receiver of the transmitter/receiver pair. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the optical sensor arrangement comprises at least two transmitter/receiver pairs, and wherein the window structure is arranged such that at each position of the slider element is associated with a unique combination of passed and/or interrupted electromagnetic signals arises. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein at least one analog to digital converter is included and configured to convert an output of the optical sensor arrangement into a bit code. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The actuating device according to claim 8, wherein the window structure and the at least two transmitter/receiver pairs are respectively arranged so that a hamming distance between bit codes that represent different positions of the slider element has a value of at least two. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the actuating device comprises an evaluation unit, and wherein the evaluation unit is configured to receive the output of the optical sensor arrangement and to determine the position of the slider element on the basis of the output of the optical sensor arrangement. ### Claim 11 A method for forming an actuating device for selecting a gear of a shift-by-wire gearshift transmission, the method comprising: forming a housing; forming a selection lever movable along at least one shift gate between at least a driving position and a parking lock position; forming a mechanical transfer element for transferring the movement of the selection lever to the gearshift transmission for actuating the parking lock; and forming a coupling system arranged between the selection lever and the transfer element, wherein the coupling system comprises a slider element embodied to move in accordance with the movement of the selection lever, wherein the actuating device comprises an optical sensor arrangement arranged within the housing and comprising at least one transmitter/receiver pair having a transmitter and a receiver, wherein the slider element comprises a window structure such that when the slider element is in a first position corresponding to the driving position of the selection lever, the slider element interrupts an electromagnetic signal emitted from the transmitter or passes the electromagnetic signal through the window structure, and when the slider element is in a second position corresponding to the parking lock position of the selection lever, the slider element respectively passes the electromagnetic signal through the window structure or interrupts the electromagnetic signal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one transmitter/receiver pair is configured to transmit and receive infrared electromagnetic signals. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the transfer element is a Bowden cable. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the window structure is formed by a wall of the slider element arranged, the wall extending along the direction of the movement of the slider element, wherein the wall comprises a plurality of openings defining the window structure. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the at least one transmitter/receiver pair includes an optical fork. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, wherein the optical fork is arranged on a printed circuit board, wherein the slider element is configured to move relative to the printed circuit board, and wherein a wall is positioned between the transmitter and the receiver of the transmitter/receiver pair. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the optical sensor arrangement comprises at least two transmitter/receiver pairs, and wherein the window structure is arranged such that at each position of the slider element is associated with a unique combination of passed and/or interrupted electromagnetic signals arises. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein at least one analog to digital converter is included and configured to convert an output of the optical sensor arrangement into a bit code. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the window structure and the at least two transmitter/receiver pairs are respectively arranged so that a hamming distance between bit codes that represent different positions of the slider element has a value of at least two. ### Claim 20 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the actuating device comprises an evaluation unit, and wherein the evaluation unit is configured to receive the output of the optical sensor arrangement and to determine the position of the slider element on the basis of the output of the optical sensor arrangement.