Electric vehicle parking lock device control apparatus, adapted to activate electric motor to reduce engagement load between lock gear and pawl upon releasing of lock
First Claim
1. An apparatus for controlling a mechanical parking lock device of an electric vehicle including an electric motor as a drive power source for driving the electric vehicle, said mechanical parking lock device including (a) a parking lock gear rotated with a wheel of the electric vehicle, (b) a parking lock pawl having a lock position in which said parking lock pawl is engaged with said parking lock gear to lock said wheel, and an unlock position in which said parking lock pawl is disengaged from said parking lock gear, and (c) an engaging member mechanically linked with a shift lever such that said engaging member is engaged with said parking lock pawl to bring said pawl into said lock position when said shift lever is operated to a parking position, and such that said engaging member permits said pawl to be moved to said unlock position when said shift lever is operated from said parking position to another position, said apparatus comprising:
- parking release intention determining means for determining whether an operator of the electric vehicle has an intention of operating said shift lever from said parking position to said another position; and
parking release motor control means, operable when said parking release intention determining means determines that the operator has said intention, for activating said electric motor so as to reduce a load of engagement between said parking lock gear and said parking lock pawl.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling a mechanical parking lock device of an electric vehicle including an electric motor, the mechanical parking lock device including a parking lock gear rotated with a wheel of the vehicle, a parking lock pawl having a lock position for engagement of the lock pawl with the lock gear to lock the wheel, and an unlock position for releasing the lock pawl from the lock gear, and an engaging member mechanically linked with a shift lever, for engagement of the engaging member with the lock pawl to bring the pawl into the lock position upon operation of the shift lever to a parking position, and for permitting the lock pawl to be moved to the unlock position upon operation of the shift lever from the parking position to another position, the apparatus including a parking release intention determining device for determining an intention of a vehicle operator of operating the shift lever from the parking position to another position, and a parking release motor control device, which is operable upon determination of the operator'"'"'s intention by the parking release intention determining device, for activating the electric motor so as to reduce a load of engagement between the lock gear and the lock pawl.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. An apparatus for controlling a mechanical parking lock device of an electric vehicle including an electric motor as a drive power source for driving the electric vehicle, said mechanical parking lock device including (a) a parking lock gear rotated with a wheel of the electric vehicle, (b) a parking lock pawl having a lock position in which said parking lock pawl is engaged with said parking lock gear to lock said wheel, and an unlock position in which said parking lock pawl is disengaged from said parking lock gear, and (c) an engaging member mechanically linked with a shift lever such that said engaging member is engaged with said parking lock pawl to bring said pawl into said lock position when said shift lever is operated to a parking position, and such that said engaging member permits said pawl to be moved to said unlock position when said shift lever is operated from said parking position to another position, said apparatus comprising:
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parking release intention determining means for determining whether an operator of the electric vehicle has an intention of operating said shift lever from said parking position to said another position; and parking release motor control means, operable when said parking release intention determining means determines that the operator has said intention, for activating said electric motor so as to reduce a load of engagement between said parking lock gear and said parking lock pawl. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification