Selector mechanism for a motor vehicle transmission

• US 20060037424A1
• Filed: 08/17/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jaguar Land Rover Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Original Assignee: Jaguar Cars Limited (TATA Motors Limited)
• Inventors: Whelan, Alister, Jerger, Rob, Richardson, Mike, Pickering, Carl, Hudson, Peter
• Granted Patent: US 7,571,662 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/473.300
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/126 Rotatable input devices for instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/126 Rotatable input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2370/158 Haptic output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/25 using haptic output
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 37/06 of controls, e.g. controls knobs
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/081 using knops or discs for rotary range selection
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/08 Range selector apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19251 Control mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2003 Electrical actuator
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2014 Manually operated selector [e.g., remotely controlled device, lever, push button, rotary dial, etc.]

Abstract

A rotatable selector mechanism for a motor vehicle transmission has a selector knob rotatable in a housing to select an operating mode of the transmission among a number of selector positions indicated by a label (P,R,N,D,M). The selector mechanism further includes a detent plate which cooperates with a detent pin for maintaining the selector knob in each of positions. The detent plate is connected to position sensors for generating selector signals to a transmission control unit which supplies control signals to an actuator for operate the transmission according to the operating mode selected. The detent plate is also associated to the selector knob and to a drive correction means by means of clutch devices respectively to engage the detent plate to one of the selector knob and the drive correction means. The clutch devices and the drive corrections means are controlled by the transmission control unit to move the detent plate from a selector position selected by the driver to another selector position representative of the operating mode of the transmission by means of the drive correction means without moving the selector knob. The selector knob further includes an illuminated pointer constituted by one of several LEDs controlled by the transmission control unit so as to change the LED illuminated in front of the label according to the position of the detent plate when the latter has been moved by the drive correction means in order to indicate the operating mode of the transmission.

Claims

1. A selector mechanism for a motor vehicle transmission having a number of operating modes, the selector mechanism having a housing, a rotary handle movable in the housing between a number of selector positions, each position being associated with a respective one of the operating modes of the transmission, a rotary selector which in normal use of the selector mechanism is connected to the rotary handle so as to rotate with the rotary handle, sensor means for sensing the position of the rotary selector and generating selector signals to a transmission control unit which in use supplies control signals to the transmission, an indexing means for maintaining the rotary handle in each of its positions, a drive correction means and clutch devices to engage the rotary selector to one of the rotary handle and the drive correction means, wherein the clutch devices and the drive correction means in use are controlled by the transmission control unit to move the rotary selector from a selector position selected by the driver by means of the rotary handle to another selector position representative of the operating mode of the transmission by means of the drive correction means without moving the rotary handle.

2. The selector mechanism of claim 1 and further comprising a dynamic indicator which in use is arranged to indicate the operating mode of the transmission.

3. The selector mechanism of claim 2 wherein the dynamic indicator in use is connected to the transmission control unit to be visible when the vehicle is to be driven and move with the rotary selector.

4. The selector mechanism of claim 2 wherein the dynamic indicator comprises an illuminated pointer and an arrangement of illuminated labels indicating the selector mode.

5. The selector mechanism of claim 4 wherein the rotary handle has a top surface and the illuminated pointer is constituted by a one of several light sources circumferentially distributed behind the top surface of the rotary handle.

6. The selector mechanism of claim 1 and further comprising a retractor actuator which in use is controlled by the transmission control unit to displace the rotary handle between an active position where it can be manually moved between the selector positions by the driver of the vehicle, and an inactive position in which it is retracted inside the housing where it cannot be readily moved by the driver.

7. The selector mechanism of claim 1 and further comprising a spring-loaded detent member carried by the housing and wherein the rotary selector comprises a detent plate having notches for cooperation with a spring-loaded detent member.

8. The selector mechanism of claim 7 and further comprising a stop carried by the housing and wherein the detent plate has a slot which cooperates with the stop to limit the rotation of the detent plate between the two extreme selectable modes of the transmission.

9. The selector mechanism of claim 7 wherein the sensor means for sensing the position of the selector comprises an encoder.

10. The selector mechanism of claim 1 and further comprising a locking device which in use is controlled by the transmission control unit to prevent rotation of the rotary handle when disconnected from the rotary selector.

11. The selector mechanism of claim 1 wherein one of the selector positions is a manual mode position in which position the selector mechanism is operable for use with an auxiliary selector in order to control the gear ratios of the transmission in a pulse manner.

12. A selector mechanism for a vehicle transmission driven by an engine, the said selector mechanism having a housing, a selector movable in the housing between a number of selector positions each associated with a respective operating mode of the transmission, sensor means for sensing the position of the selector and generating selector signals to a transmission control unit which in use supplies control signals to the transmission, and a retractor actuator which in use is controlled by the transmission control unit to displace the selector between an active position where it can be manually moved between the selector position by the driver of the vehicle, and an inactive position in which it is retracted inside the housing where it cannot be readily moved by the driver.

13. The selector mechanism of claim 12 wherein the selector is a rotary switch.

14. The selector mechanism of claim 13 and further comprising a drive correction means which in use is connected to the transmission control unit to move the selector from a selector position selected by the driver to another selector position representative of the operating mode of the transmission.

15. The selector mechanism of claim 14 wherein the drive correction means is operable to prevent manual movement of the selector.

16. A method of controlling a selector mechanism of a motor vehicle having a transmission, a transmission control unit, at least one sensor for sensing a position of a rotary selector on the selector mechanism, an index mechanism for maintaining a rotary handle of the selector mechanism in one of a predetermined number of selector positions corresponding to one of a predetermined number of transmission operating modes, and drive correction means, and a clutch mechanism engaging the rotary selector to one of the rotary handle and drive correction means, wherein the clutch mechanism and the drive correction means are controlled by the transmission control unit to move the rotary selector from a selector position selected by the driver through the rotary handle to another selector position representative of the operating mode of the transmission by means of the drive correction means without moving the rotary handle, the method comprising the steps of:

determining an operational state of the vehicle and providing data related to said operational state to the transmission control unit;

receiving a signal from the sensors indicating whether a selector mode is available or unavailable;

if the selector mode is unavailable the transmission control unit operates the clutch mechanism to engage the rotary selector to the drive correction means and disengage the rotary selector from the rotary handle; and

sending a command to the drive correction means to return the rotary selector to the previous gear position.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the selector mechanism further comprises a dynamic indicator which in use is arranged to indicate the operating mode of the transmission, the method including the further step of sending a command from the transmission control unit to the dynamic indicator to indicate the mode of the transmission according to the motion of the rotary selector.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the dynamic indicator of the selector mechanism further comprises an illuminated pointer and an arrangement of illuminated labels indicating the selector mode, the method including the further step of the transmission control unit sending a command to turn the illuminated pointer off and a command to illuminate the label of the current selector mode.

19. The method of claim 16 when the selector mechanism further comprises a retractor actuator controlled by the transmission control unit to displace the rotary handle between an active position where it can be manually moved between the selector positions by the driver of the vehicle, and an inactive position in which it is retracted inside the housing where it cannot be readily moved by the driver, the method further including the step of sending a command from the transmission control unit to the retractor actuator to move the rotary switch to the active position when the engine is running and to move the rotary switch to the inactive position when the engine is stopped.

20. The method of claim 19 further including the step of upon the transmission control unit receiving a failure signal, the transmission control unit sending a command to the retractor actuator to move the selector towards the inactive position from the active position.