Range Shifting of an Automatic Transmission

• US 20110219905A1
• Filed: 03/15/2010
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Krishnaswami, Ramasunder, Spaulding, Todd C., Fyie, Matthew L., Goodwin, William R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,560,193 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/473.12
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2400/164 Springs
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2061/326 Actuators for range selection, i.e. actuators for controlling the range selector or the manual range valve in the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2063/3089 Spring assisted shift, e.g. springs for accumulating energy of shift movement and release it when clutch teeth are aligned
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/12 Detecting malfunction or potential malfunction, e.g. fail safe in control of hydrostatic gearing F16H61/4192; Circumventing or fixing failures
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/32 Electric motors actuators or related electrical control means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/3466 using electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 63/48 Signals to a parking brake or parking lock; Control of parking locks or brakes being part of the transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2003 Electrical actuator

Abstract

A system for shifting a transmission range includes a selector producing a signal representing a selected range, and the system has a primary state wherein a source of electric power shifts the transmission to the selected range in response to the signal, and a secondary state wherein a source of mechanical energy shifts the transmission to a Park range when the primary state is unable to shift the range.

Claims

1. A system for shifting a transmission range, comprising:

a selector producing a signal representing a selected range; and

an actuator having a primary state wherein a source of electric power shifts the transmission to the selected range in response to the signal, and a secondary state wherein a source of mechanical energy shifts the transmission to a Park range when the primary state is unable to shift the range.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the source of electric power is an electric motor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the source of mechanical energy is a preloaded spring that stores one of a compression force and a torsion force.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

first and second motors;

a first sleeve connected to the first motor and able alternately to store and release the mechanical energy;

a second sleeve alternately engaged with and disengaged from the second sleeve by the second motor.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

first and second motors;

a first sleeve actuated by the first motor and able alternately to store and release the mechanical energy;

a second sleeve alternately engaged with and disengaged from the first motor by the second motor;

a manual valve of the transmission; and

a shift cable for transmitting movement of the second sleeve to the manual valve.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

first and second motors;

a first sensor producing a signal representing a position of the first sleeve;

a second sensor producing a signal representing a position of the second sleeve; and

a microprocessor communicating with the first and second motors and the first and second sensors.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a source of electric energy;

a first motor connected to the source of electric energy;

a secondary source of electric energy;

a second motor actuated by a secondary source of electric energy when the system is in the secondary state.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the secondary source of electric energy is a capacitor charged with and electric field.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the actuator is mounted in a vehicle at a location that is remote from the transmission.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a transmission range sensor that produces a signal representing the current operating range of the transmission.

11. A system for shifting a transmission range, comprising:

a selector producing a signal representing a selected range;

a motor;

a source of mechanical energy;

an actuator having a primary state enabled by the motor to shift the transmission to the selected range in response to the signal, and a secondary state enabled by the mechanical energy source to shift the transmission to a Park range when the primary state is unable to shift the range.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the source of mechanical energy is a preloaded spring that stores one of a compression force and a torsion force.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a solenoid having latched and unlatched states;

a spring connected to the motor and that stores and releases the mechanical energy;

a detent that alternately maintains mechanical energy in the spring when the solenoid is latched and releases mechanical energy from the spring when the solenoid is unlatched.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a solenoid having latched and unlatched states;

a spring connected to the motor and that stores and releases the mechanical energy;

a detent that alternately maintains mechanical energy in the spring when the solenoid is latched and releases mechanical energy from the spring when the solenoid is unlatched;

a manual valve of the transmission; and

a shift cable for transmitting movement of the spring to the manual valve.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a solenoid having latched and unlatched states;

a spring connected to the motor and that stores and releases the mechanical energy;

a first sensor producing a signal representing a position of an output of the motor;

a second sensor producing a signal representing a loaded or released position of the spring; and

a microprocessor communicating with the first and second motors, and the first and second sensors.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

a solenoid having latched and unlatched states;

a source of electric energy electrically connected to the motor;

a secondary source of electric energy electrically connected to the solenoid for unlatching the solenoid and releasing the mechanical energy in the secondary state.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the secondary source of electric energy is a capacitor charged with and electric field.

18. A system for shifting a transmission range, comprising:

a selector producing a signal representing a selected range;

a motor;

a first sleeve connected to the motor and containing a spring able alternately to store and release mechanical energy;

a second sleeve alternately engaged with and disengaged from the second sleeve by the solenoid;

an actuator having a primary state enabled by the motor to shift the transmission to the selected range in response to the signal, and a secondary state enabled by the mechanical energy source to shift the transmission to a Park range when the primary state is unable to shift the range.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the source of mechanical energy is a preloaded spring that stores one of a compression force and a torsion force.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a solenoid having latched and unlatched states;

a detent that alternately maintains mechanical energy in the spring when the solenoid is latched and releases mechanical energy from the spring when the solenoid is unlatched.

21. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a solenoid having latched and unlatched states;

a detent that alternately maintains mechanical energy in the spring when the solenoid is latched and releases mechanical energy from the spring when the solenoid is unlatched;

a manual valve of the transmission; and

a shift cable for transmitting movement of the second sleeve to the manual valve.

22. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a solenoid having latched and unlatched states;

a first sensor producing a signal representing a position of the first sleeve;

a second sensor producing a signal representing a position of the second sleeve; and

a microprocessor communicating with the first and second motors, and the first and second sensors.

23. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

a solenoid having latched and unlatched states;

a source of electric energy electrically connected to the motor;

a secondary source of electric energy electrically connected to the solenoid for unlatching the solenoid and releasing the mechanical energy in the secondary state.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the secondary source of electric energy is a charged capacitor.