Transmission device having at least one shift element that can be actuated by means of an actuator

• US 8,601,893 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2010
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Reisch, Matthias, Mohr, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Fenstermacher, David M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cook, Jake
• Application Number:
  US13/260,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20120048049A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 744/731, 744/731.1, 744/731.2, 192/48.601, 192/48.611, 192/48.618, 192/20, 192/48.2, 192/84.6, 192/30.W, 605/45
• US Class Current: 74/335
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 2021/0669 Hydraulically actuated clutches with two clutch plates
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 29/005 with a fluid pressure piston driven by an electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19251 Control mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20024 Fluid actuator

Abstract

A transmission device (1) including at least one shift element (3, 4) that can be actuated via an actuator (6) having at least one electrical component (5). The electrical component (5) is connected to a transmission shaft (7), rotates during operation at the rotational speed of the transmission shaft (7), and is operatively connected to further components of the transmission device (1), via an electrical transmitting device (8). Electrical energy can be exchanged, at the least, inductively via the transmitting device (8) between the components of the transmission device (1) and the at least one electrical component (5) connected to the transmission shaft (7). Hydraulic actuating pressure can be generated, via the electrical component (5), for actuating the shift element (3, 4).

Claims

1. A transmission device (1) comprising:

at least one shift element (3, 4) being actuatable via an actuator (6) comprising at least one electrical component (5), the electrical component (5) being connected to a transmission shaft (7) and being operatively connected to at least one further component of the transmission device (1) via an electrical transmitting device (8);

the electrical component (5) and a pump device (9A, 9B) connected to the transmission shaft (7) both rotating during operation around the transmission shaft (7) at a rotational speed of the transmission shaft (7);

a hydraulic actuating pressure, for actuating the shift element (3, 4), being generated via the electrical component (5);

electrical energy being inductively exchanged between the at least one further component of the transmission device (1) and the at least one electrical component (5) connected to the transmission shaft (7);

the electrical component (5) comprising an electric machine (5A, 5B) which drives the pump device (9A, 9B); and

the actuator (6) comprising a hydraulic fluid accumulator (10A, 10B) being operatively connectable to a pressure compensation space (27) of the shift element (3, 4).

2. The transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one further component of the transmission device (1) is affixed to a housing of the transmission device.

3. The transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the pump device (9A, 9B) is connected to the electric machine (5A, 5B) via another transmission device (15, 16).

4. The transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the pump device (9A, 9B) comprises at least one piston element (18A, 18B) which is axially displaceable in a piston element space (17) and is actuatable by a drive converter device (19), in a region of which rotational drive of the electric machine (5A, 5B) is converted into translatory drive motion of the piston element (18A, 18B), to an extent such that the actuating pressure for the shift element (3, 4) is provided.

5. The transmission device according to claim 4, wherein the drive converter device (19) is a spindle-nut system.

6. The transmission device according to claim 1, wherein a piston compression chamber (23, 24) of the shift element (3, 4) is acted upon with the actuating pressure.

7. The transmission device according to claim 4, wherein the hydraulic fluid accumulator (10A, 10B) is operatively connectable to the piston element chamber (17) at least nearly in a pressure-free operating state of the piston element chamber (17).

8. The transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure compensation space (10A, 10B) is assigned to a further shift element (3, 4).

9. The transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is equipped with at least one of a force sensor and a pressure sensor.

10. The transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the transmitting device (8) is disposed in an interior of the shift element (3, 4).

11. The transmission device according to claim 1, wherein transmission of control data between the at least one further component and the electrical component (5) takes place at least one of inductively, capacitively and optically.

12. The transmission device according to claim 1, wherein a thermal insulation device is provided at least between the electrical component and the shift element.

13. A transmission device (1) comprising:

at least one shift element (3, 4) being actuatable via an actuator (6) comprising at least one electrical component (5), the electrical component (5) being connected to a transmission shaft (7), rotating during operation at a rotational speed of the transmission shaft (7) and being operatively connected to at least one further component of the transmission device (1) via an electrical transmitting device (8);

a hydraulic actuating pressure, for actuating the shift element (3, 4), being generated via the electrical component (5);

electrical energy being inductively exchanged between the at least one further component of the transmission device (1) and the at least one electrical component (5) connected to the transmission shaft (7);

the electrical component (5) comprising an electric machine (5A, 5B) which drives a pump device (9A, 9B);

the actuator (6) comprising a hydraulic fluid accumulator (10A, 10B) being operatively connectable to a pressure compensation space (27) of the shift element (3, 4); and

the actuator (6) comprising a hydraulic fluid accumulator (10A, 10B) which can be operatively connected to the piston element chamber (17) in a substantially pressure-free operating state of the piston element chamber (17).

14. An automotive transmission device (1) comprising:

at least one shift element (3, 4), being actuatable via an actuator (6);

the actuator (6) comprising at least one electrical component (5),

the electrical component (5) being connected to a transmission shaft (7), rotating during operation at a rotational speed of the transmission shaft (7), and being operatively connected to at least one further component of the transmission device (1) via an electrical transmitting device (8);

the transmission shaft (7) being coaxial with a crankshaft (28);

a hydraulic actuating pressure, for actuating the shift element (3, 4), being generated via the electrical component (5);

electrical energy being inductively exchanged between the at least one further component of the transmission device (1) and the at least one electrical component (5) connected to the transmission shaft (7);

the electrical component (5) comprising an electric machine (5A, 5B) which drives a pump device (9A, 9B); and

the actuator (6) comprising a hydraulic fluid accumulator (10A, 10B) being operatively connectable to a pressure compensation space (27) of the shift element (3, 4).

15. The transmission device according to claim 14, wherein the transmission shaft (7) is coaxial with first and second transmission input shafts (29, 30).

16. The transmission device according to claim 14, wherein the transmission shaft (7) carries torque from a crankshaft (28) of an internal combustion engine of a vehicle drive train to one of a first and a second transmission input shaft (29, 30).

17. The transmission device according to claim 14, wherein during operation, the transmission shaft (7) rotates at substantially the same speed as a crankshaft (28).

18. The transmission device according to claim 14, wherein during operation, a rotation speed of the transmission shaft (7) varies with respect to a rotation speed of a first transmission input shaft (29) based on an actuation of the at least one shift element (3).

19. The transmission device according to claim 14, wherein the electric machine (5A, 5B) is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the transmission shaft (7) and during operation the entire electric machine (5A, 5B) rotates around a central bore hole (40) in the transmission shaft (7).

20. The transmission device according to claim 14, wherein the entire electric machine (5A, 5B) is located within an exterior circumference of the transmission shaft (7), and the electrical component (5), the pump device (9A, 9B), and the hydraulic fluid accumulator (10A, 10B) are all connected to the transmission shaft (7) and all rotate during operation around the transmission shaft (7) at the rotational speed of the transmission shaft (7).