US 9,518,656 B2 · Vehicle and a locking assembly for the vehicle

Abstract

A vehicle and a locking assembly are disclosed. The locking assembly includes a pawl rotatable about a pivot axis between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The pawl is adapted to engage the ring gear when in the engaged position for preventing movement of the ring gear. The locking assembly further includes an actuator selectively actuated to move the pawl to the engaged position. Additionally, the locking assembly includes a biasing mechanism engaging the pawl to continuously bias the pawl toward the disengaged position. The pawl includes a first tooth and a second tooth spaced from each other to define a gap therebetween. The first tooth and the second tooth are adapted to trap a tooth of the ring gear in the gap when the pawl is in the engaged position for preventing rotation of the ring gear.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A locking assembly for a ring gear operatively connected to a crankshaft, the assembly comprising:

a pawl rotatable about a pivot axis between an engaged position and a disengaged position, with the pawl adapted to engage the ring gear when in the engaged position for preventing movement of the ring gear, wherein the pawl includes a first pawl segment and a second pawl segment each rotatable about the pivot axis;
an actuator selectively actuated to move the pawl to the engaged position;
a biasing mechanism engaging the pawl to continuously bias the pawl toward the disengaged position;
and
wherein the pawl includes a first tooth and a second tooth spaced from each other to define a gap therebetween, with the first tooth and the second tooth adapted to trap a tooth of the ring gear in the gap when the pawl is in the engaged position for preventing rotation of the ring gear.

2 more elements

A vehicle comprising:

a ring gear selectively rotatable about a longitudinal axis and including a plurality of teeth spaced from each other radially about the longitudinal axis;
a locking assembly including a pawl rotatable about a pivot axis between an engaged position engaging the ring gear to prevent rotation of the ring gear and a disengaged position spaced from the ring gear to allow rotation of the ring gear;
and
wherein the pawl includes a first tooth and a second tooth spaced from each other to define a gap therebetween such that one of the teeth of the ring gear is trapped in the gap between the first tooth and the second tooth to prevent rotation of the ring gear when the pawl is in the engaged position;
wherein the pawl includes separate pawl segments each rotatable about the pivot axis, with the first tooth extending from one of the pawl segments and the second tooth extending from another one of the pawl segments.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vehicle and a locking assembly for the vehicle

Life of this patent

Vehicle and a locking assembly for the vehicle

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20