JP7854882B2 - Shift device - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a shift device in which the shift position is changed by rotating the shift body.

In the rotary shifter described in Patent Document 1 below, the plunger housing is rotated by the rotation of a knob. Furthermore, the plunger housing is supported by the package housing.

In this rotary shifter, the knob is fixed to the plunger housing.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0049002

Considering the above facts, the objective of this invention is to provide a shift device that allows for a greater degree of freedom in the position of the shift element.

A shift device according to a first aspect of the present invention comprises a shift body that is rotated to change the shift position, a rotating part that is rotated when the shift body is rotated, a support body that supports the rotating part, and a setting body that supports the shift body and sets the position of the shift body.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a shift device in which the angle between the rotation axis direction of the shift body and the rotation axis direction of the rotating part can be changed, in addition to the first aspect of the present invention.

A third aspect of the present invention is a shift device according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, comprising a connecting portion provided on the shift body and a connected portion provided on the rotating portion to which the connecting portion is connected, wherein the circumferential surface of one of the connecting portion and the connected portion is spherical, and one of the connecting portion and the connected portion is housed in the other of the connecting portion and the connected portion.

A shift device according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is a shift device according to any one of the first to third aspects of the present invention, comprising a biasing unit provided on the setting body for biasing the shift body toward the shift position.

The fifth aspect of the present invention is a shift device in which the setting body is fixed to the support, in any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present invention.

In the shift device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the shift body is rotated to change the shift position, and the rotating part is also rotated. Furthermore, a support body supports the rotating part.

Here, the setting object supports the shift object, and the position of the shift object is set. Therefore, by changing the setting object, the position of the shift object can be changed, greatly increasing the degree of freedom in the shift object's position.

In the shift device of the second aspect of the present invention, the angle between the rotation axis direction of the shift body and the rotation axis direction of the rotating part is changeable. Therefore, by changing the setting body, the angle between the rotation axis direction of the shift body and the rotation axis direction of the rotating part can be changed.

In the shift device according to the third aspect of the present invention, the connecting portion of the shift body is connected to the connected portion of the rotating part. Furthermore, one of the circumferential surfaces of the connecting portion and the connected portion is spherical, and the other of the connecting portion and the connected portion is housed within it. Therefore, interference between the connecting portion and the connected portion can be suppressed when the shift body rotates and the rotating part rotates.

In the shift device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the biasing portion of the setting body biases the shift body toward the shift position. Therefore, the biasing force on the shift body can be changed by changing the setting body.

In the shift device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, the setting body is fixed to the support. Therefore, since no other members are provided between the setting body and the support, the configuration can be simplified.

(A) and (B) are perspective views taken from the left front to show a shift device according to an embodiment of the present invention, with (A) showing the overall device and (B) showing the device with the front plate removed. This is a perspective view from the left front, showing the shift device according to an embodiment of the present invention with the base cover and knob cover removed. This is a front view showing the inside of a plate in a shift device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a side view from below showing the main parts of a shift device according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) and (B) are perspective views showing the knob and base of a shift device according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a view from the front left and (B) is a view from the lower front. (A) and (B) are perspective views showing the base of a shift device according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a view from the left front and (B) is a view from the front lower and at an angle. This is a rear-view perspective showing the rotating shaft and rotation detection mechanism in a shift device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figures (A) to (C) are perspective views taken from the left front, showing the knob and rotating shaft in a shift device according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (A) shows the knob in position H, (B) shows the knob in position D, and (C) shows the knob in position R.

Figure 1(A) shows a perspective view of the entire shift device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the left front. In the drawing, the front of the shift device 10 is indicated by arrow FR, the left side of the shift device 10 is indicated by arrow LH, and the top of the shift device 10 is indicated by arrow UP.

The shift device 10 according to this embodiment is mounted on the steering column (not shown) of the vehicle body, and the front, left, and upper ends of the shift device 10 are directed towards the rear, left, and upper sides of the vehicle, respectively.

As shown in Figure 1(A), the shift device 10 is provided with a resin plate 12 that is roughly rectangular in shape and box-shaped, serving as a support. The plate 12 is attached to the steering column, and the shift device 10 is installed in the vehicle. The front portion of the plate 12 is provided with a roughly rectangular in shape and box-shaped front plate 12A, which is open to the rear. The rear portion of the plate 12 is provided with a roughly rectangular in shape and box-shaped rear plate 12B, which is open to the front. The plate 12 is constructed by assembling the front plate 12A and the rear plate 12B in the front-rear direction.

A roughly rectangular fixing plate 12C (see Figures 2 and 3) is integrally provided on the left side of the rear plate 12B. The fixing plate 12C extends to the left and is positioned perpendicularly in the front-to-back direction. The vertical center of the fixing plate 12C is concave towards the rear, and the interior of the vertical center of the fixing plate 12C is open to the left and front sides.

A block-shaped base 14 (joint member, see Figures 2 and 6) is provided on the left side of the rear plate 12B as a setting element. The right portion of the base 14 is a U-shaped fixing portion 14A in front view, and the base 14 is fixed to the front side of the fixing plate 12C of the rear plate 12B at the fixing portion 14A. The inside of the fixing portion 14A is open to the right, front, and rear, and communicates with the vertically central part of the fixing plate 12C. The left portion of the base 14 is a roughly cylindrical setting portion 14B, whose interior communicates with the fixing portion 14A of the base 14, and is inclined in a direction that moves forward as the axial direction moves to the left. The base 14 is covered by a roughly truncated square pyramidal cylindrical base cover 16, which is fixed to the left side of the rear plate 12B.

A curved plate-shaped biasing piece 14C, acting as a biasing part (knock joint), is integrally provided on the upper and lower parts of the left end face of the setting part 14B of the base 14. The biasing piece 14C protrudes to the left and is curved along the circumferential direction of the setting part 14B. A biasing surface 14D with a roughly V-shaped concave cross-section is formed on the left side of the biasing piece 14C. The biasing surface 14D is inclined to the left as it moves from the central part (the central part in the circumferential direction of the setting part 14B) towards both outer parts (both outer parts in the circumferential direction of the setting part 14B).

Within the setting section 14B, a columnar knob 18, which serves as the shift mechanism, is supported. The knob 18 is fitted with a columnar knob body 20 (see Figures 2 and 4), which serves as the shift mechanism. The left portion of the knob body 20 is approximately elliptical in shape, while the right portion is approximately cylindrical. The left and right portions of the knob body 20 are coaxially positioned. The right portion of the knob body 20 is coaxially fitted within the setting section 14B, thereby supporting the knob 18 so that it can rotate within a predetermined range. The knob 18 is tilted forward as its rotation axis is directed to the left. The left portion of the knob body 20 is covered by a roughly elliptical cylindrical knob cover 22, which is fixed to the left portion of the knob body 20.

The knob 18 is rotatable by the vehicle's occupants (especially the driver) while gripping the knob cover 22. The knob 18 is initially positioned in the H position (home position) as the shift position. When the knob 18 is rotated in one direction A (see Figure 1(A), etc.) from the H position, it is positioned in the R position (reverse position) as the shift position. Conversely, when the knob 18 is rotated in the other direction B (see Figure 1(A), etc.) from the H position, it is positioned in the D position (drive position) as the shift position.

Cylindrical biasing holes 20C (see Figures 5(A) and (B)) are formed in the upper and lower parts of the left side of the knob body 20. The biasing holes 20C are arranged parallel to the axial direction of the knob body 20 and are open to the right. A substantially cylindrical biasing pin 20D, which serves as a biasing member (nodal member), is coaxially fitted into the biasing hole 20C, and the tip surface (right end surface) of the biasing pin 20D is curved in a convex shape. A compression coil spring 20E, which serves as a biasing means, is inserted into the biasing hole 20C to the left of the biasing pin 20D. The compression coil spring 20E is stretched between the bottom surface (left end surface) of the biasing hole 20C and the base end surface (left end surface) of the biasing pin 20D, biasing the biasing pin 20D to the right. The tip of the biasing pin 20D is in contact with the center of the biasing surface 14D of the base 14 (biasing piece 14C) due to the biasing force of the compression coil spring 20E. This biases the knob 18 toward position H and holds it in position H. When the knob 18 rotates from position H in one direction A and the other direction B, the biasing pin 20D moves from the center to the outer part of the biasing surface 14D against the biasing force of the compression coil spring 20E, thereby acting a rotational resistance force on the knob 18. When the knob 18 is rotated to a position other than position H, and the rotational force on the knob 18 is released, the biasing pin 20D moves from the outer part to the center of the biasing surface 14D due to the biasing force of the compression coil spring 20E, causing the knob 18 to rotate (return) to position H.

A roughly rectangular columnar rotating connecting piece 20A (see Figures 2 and 4) is integrally provided on the front right end of the knob body 20. The rotating connecting piece 20A is positioned parallel to the axial direction of the knob body 20. The rotating connecting piece 20A extends to the right from the knob body 20 and is inserted into the fixing portion 14A of the base 14. A spherical rotating connecting portion 20B is formed at the tip (right end) of the rotating connecting piece 20A, serving as a connecting portion.

Within the rear plate 12B, a substantially cylindrical rotating shaft 26 (see Figures 3 and 4) is rotatably supported, with its axial direction oriented horizontally. The rotating shaft 26 rotatably penetrates the left wall of the rear plate 12B, and its left end is positioned within the vertically central portion of the fixing plate 12C on the left side of the rear plate 12B and within the fixing portion 14A of the base 14.

A U-shaped rotating connection frame 26A (see Figures 2 and 4) is integrally provided on the front side of the left end of the rotating shaft 26, serving as the connection point. The rotating connection frame 26A extends to the left from the rotating shaft 26 and is inserted into the fixed portion 14A of the base 14. The rotating connection frame 26A is open to the left, front, and rear, and its upper and lower surfaces are vertically aligned. The rotating connection piece 20A of the knob 18 (knob body 20) is inserted into the rotating connection frame 26A, and the rotating connection portion 20B of the rotating connection piece 20A is fitted between the upper and lower surfaces of the rotating connection frame 26A. When the knob 18 rotates and the rotating connection portion 20B rotates, the rotating connection frame 26A rotates integrally with the rotating connection portion 20B, causing the rotating shaft 26 to rotate (see Figures 8(A) to (C)).

A roughly rectangular connecting plate 28 is fixed to the front right side of the rotating shaft 26. The connecting plate 28 is curved along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 26 and covers the front end of the rotating shaft 26. A roughly cylindrical rotating piece 28A is integrally provided at the right end of the connecting plate 28. The rotating piece 28A extends forward, and the circumferential surface of its tip (front end) is spherical.

A rotation detection mechanism 32 (see Figures 3 and 7) is provided within the rear plate 12B on the right side of the rotating shaft 26.

A rotating body 34, acting as a rotating intermediate section, is rotatably supported on the bottom wall (rear wall) of the rear plate 12B. The rotation axis of the rotating body 34 is oriented in the front-rear direction. A rectangular plate-shaped rotating plate 34A is integrally provided on the rotating body 34. The rotating plate 34A extends to the left and has a rectangular rotating hole 34B formed through it. The tip of the rotating piece 28A of the rotating shaft 26 (connecting plate 28) is inserted into the rotating hole 34B, and the tip of the rotating piece 28A is fitted into the rotating hole 34B in the vertical direction. When the rotating shaft 26 rotates and the rotating piece 28A rotates, the rotating plate 34A rotates integrally with the tip of the rotating piece 28A, causing the rotating body 34 to rotate. A fan-shaped rotating gear plate 34C is integrally provided on the rotating body 34, and the rotating gear plate 34C extends to the right.

On the bottom wall of the rear plate 12B, a substantially cylindrical rotating magnet body 36, serving as a detection rotation unit, is rotatably supported to the right of the rotating body 34. The rotation axis of the rotating magnet body 36 is oriented in the front-rear direction. A rotating gear 36A is coaxially mounted on the rear portion of the rotating magnet body 36, and the outer circumference of the rotating gear plate 34C of the rotating body 34 meshes with the rotating gear 36A. When the rotating body 34 rotates, causing the rotating gear plate 34C to rotate, the rotating gear 36A rotates, and the rotating magnet body 36 rotates. Furthermore, the rotation radius of the rotating gear 36A is smaller than the rotation radius of the outer circumference of the rotating gear plate 34C. A cylindrical rotating magnet 36B is coaxially fixed on the front portion of the rotating magnet body 36, and the rotating magnet 36B rotates integrally with the rotating magnet body 36.

A roughly rectangular circuit board 44 (see Figures 1(B) and 4) serving as a detection element is fixed to the front end of the rear plate 12B. The circuit board 44 is positioned perpendicular to the front-rear direction and aligned with the axial direction (rotation axis direction) of the rotating shaft 26. A rotation sensor (not shown) is provided on the circuit board 44 at the portion facing the rotating magnet 36B of the rotation detection mechanism 32 (rotating magnet body 36). The rotation sensor detects the direction of the magnetic field generated by the rotating magnet 36B and detects the rotational position of the rotating magnet body 36 (rotating magnet 36B).

The circuit board 44 (rotation sensor) is electrically connected to the vehicle's control device 46, and the vehicle's transmission 48 (automatic transmission) is electrically connected to the control device 46.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

In the shift device 10 with the above configuration, the knob 18 is rotated in one direction A from position H to position R, and simultaneously rotated in the other direction B from position H to position D.

When the knob 18 is rotated, the rotating connection portion 20B of the knob 18 rotates, and the rotating connection frame 26A of the rotating shaft 26 rotates integrally with the rotating connection portion 20B, causing the rotating shaft 26 to rotate. When the rotating shaft 26 rotates, the rotating body 34 in the rotation detection mechanism 32 rotates, causing the rotating magnet body 36 to rotate. Furthermore, the rotation sensor on the circuit board 44 detects the rotational position of the rotating magnet body 36, thereby detecting the rotational position of the rotating body 34, the rotational position of the rotating shaft 26, and the rotational position of the knob 18, and thus detecting the shift position of the knob 18.

When the shift position of the knob 18 is detected to have changed to the R position or the D position, the shift range of the transmission 48 is changed to the R range (reverse range) or D range (drive range), respectively, by the control device 46.

Here, the rear plate 12B supports the rotating shaft 26, and a setting section 14B of the base 14, separate from the rear plate 12B, supports the knob body 20 of the knob 18, thereby setting the position of the knob 18. Therefore, by changing the base 14, the position of the knob 18 can be changed, greatly increasing the degree of freedom in the position of the knob 18.

Furthermore, the rotational connection portion 20B of the knob 18 is connected to the rotational connection frame 26A of the rotating shaft 26, allowing the angle between the rotational axis direction of the knob 18 and the rotational axis direction of the rotating shaft 26 to be changed. Therefore, by changing the base 14 and altering the inclination angle in the direction of the setting portion 14B on the base 14, the inclination angle in the direction of the rotational axis direction of the knob 18 (the angle between the rotational axis direction of the knob 18 and the rotational axis direction of the rotating shaft 26) can be changed.

Furthermore, the circumferential surface of the rotating connection portion 20B of the knob 18 is spherical, and the rotating connection portion 20B is fitted (housed) within the rotating connection frame 26A of the rotating shaft 26. Therefore, even when the rotation axis direction of the knob 18 is inclined relative to the rotation axis direction of the rotating shaft 26, interference between the rotating connection portion 20B and the rotating connection frame 26A can be suppressed when the knob 18 rotates and the rotating shaft 26 rotates.

Furthermore, the biasing piece 14C (biasing surface 14D) of the base 14, together with the biasing pin 20D and compression coil spring 20E of the knob 18, biases the knob 18 toward position H. Therefore, by changing the base 14 and altering the inclination angle of the biasing surface 14D from the center to the outer part, the biasing force of the knob 18 toward position H can be changed.

Furthermore, the base 14 (fixing portion 14A) is fixed to the rear plate 12B (fixing plate 12C). Therefore, since no other components are provided between the base 14 and the rear plate 12B, the structure can be simplified.

In this embodiment, a biasing piece 14C (biasing surface 14D) is provided on the base 14, and a biasing pin 20D and a compression coil spring 20E are provided on the knob 18. However, it is also possible for the biasing pin 20D and compression coil spring 20E (biasing portion) to be provided on the base 14, and the biasing piece 14C (biasing surface 14D) to be provided on the knob 18.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the circumferential surface of the rotating connection portion 20B (connecting portion) of the knob 18 is spherical, and the rotating connection portion 20B (connecting portion) is fitted (housed) into the rotating connection frame 26A (connected portion) of the rotating shaft 26. However, the circumferential surface of the connected portion of the rotating shaft 26 may also be spherical, and the connected portion may be fitted (housed) into the connection portion of the knob 18.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the shift device 10 is installed on the vehicle's steering column. However, the shift device 10 may also be installed on other parts of the vehicle (such as the instrument panel or console).

10... Shift device, 12... Plate (support), 14... Base (setting body), 14C... Biasing piece (biasing part), 18... Knob (shift body), 20B... Rotating connection part (connecting part), 26... Rotating shaft (rotating part), 26A... Rotating connection frame (connected part)

Claims (4)

A shift mechanism that rotates to change the shift position,
The shift body is rotated and the rotating part is rotated,
A support that supports the rotating part,
A setting body that supports the shift body and sets the position of the shift body,
A shift device comprising the ability to change the angle between the rotation axis direction of the shift body and the rotation axis direction of the rotating part . The connecting portion provided on the shift body,
The rotating part is provided with a connected part to which the connecting part is connected,
The shift device according to claim 1, comprising, wherein the circumferential surface of one of the connecting portion and the connected portion is spherical, and the other of the connecting portion and the connected portion is housed in the other of the connecting portion and the connected portion . The shift device according to claim 1 , further comprising a biasing portion provided on the setting body for biasing the shift body toward the shift position . The shift device according to claim 1 , wherein the setting body is fixed to the support body .