Transmission rotation sensor switch
AssigneeHydro-Gear Limited Partnership
InventorsScott W. Keller, Michael Taylor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sensor for use with a transmission system, where the transmission system has a housing, an input driven by an engine and at least one rotating component, such as a shaft, located in the housing and driven by the input. The sensor is comprised of an actuator, which is inside the transmission system housing and able to detect the rotational direction of the rotating element, and a switch, which is located outside the transmission housing and is actuated by the actuator.
Claims30
A sensor for use with a transmission system having a housing, an input driven by an engine and at least one rotating component located in the housing and driven by the input whereby the rotating component is capable of rotating in both a first and second direction, the sensor comprising:
- an actuator mounted inside the housing, the actuator being able to detect the rotational direction of the rotating component;
- and
- a switch mounted external to the housing and positioned so that the switch is responsive to the actuator depending upon the rotational status of the rotating component.
A sensor for use in conjunction with a transmission system comprising a housing, an input driven by an engine and at least one shaft driven by the input wherein the shaft is rotatable in a first direction and a second direction, the sensor comprising:
- an actuator mounted within the housing and moveable between a first position when the shaft rotates in the first direction, and a second position when the shaft rotates in the second direction;
- and
- a switch assembly comprising a switch, a connector formed on the switch for connecting the switch to an electronic circuit and a means for securing the switch assembly to the housing, whereby the switch assembly is located outside the transmission housing.
A transmission system for use in a vehicle having an engine, drive wheels and an output device, the system comprising:
- a transmission housing;
- a transmission mounted in the transmission housing and comprising at least one rotatable shaft, where rotation of the shaft in the forward direction corresponds to forward rotation of the drive wheels and rotation of the shaft in a second, opposite direction corresponds to reverse rotation of the drive wheels;
- an actuator mounted inside the transmission housing, the actuator being able to detect the rotational direction of the shaft;
- and
- a switch mounted external to the housing and responsive to the actuator, whereby the switch is activated when the shaft is rotating in either the forward or reverse direction and is deactivated when the shaft is rotating in the other direction.
A vehicle safety system for use in a vehicle having an engine, a transmission mounted in a transmission housing and engaged to the engine and driving a pair of output axles, and a vehicle output device, the safety system comprising:
- detection means located inside the transmission housing for detecting the rotational direction of one of the output axles;
- and
- signal generating means for generating a signal based on the rotational direction of the one of the output axles, wherein the signal generating means is located outside of the transmission housing.
A vehicle comprising:
- a transmission housing mounted on a vehicle frame;
- a hydrostatic transmission mounted in the housing and driving a pair of output axles;
- an output device driven by the engine;
- a sensor positioned to detect the rotational direction of one of the output axles, wherein a signal generating means part of the sensor is located entirely outside of the transmission housing and a detection means part of the sensor is located entirely within the transmission housing;
- and
- an electronic circuit connected to the sensor to change the operational status of the vehicle output device depending on the rotational direction of the one of the output axles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.