Device for actuating a gearwheel, which is designed as a loose wheel, of a transmission device

Abstract

A device ( 4 ) for actuating a component mounted to rotate on a shaft ( 3 ), preferably a gearwheel ( 3 A to 3 D) made as a loose wheel of a transmission device ( 1 ). The component can be shifted by an engaging device ( 4 A, 4 B) that includes at least one electric actuator ( 5, 17 ) to an engaged condition in which the component is connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the shaft ( 3 ), and such that the component can be acted upon with the actuation force needed for its engagement or disengagement from inside the shaft ( 3 ) outwardly. The electric actuator ( 5, 17 ) is at least partially arranged inside the shaft ( 3 ).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A device ( 4 ) for actuating a component mounted to rotate on a shaft ( 3 ), the device comprising:
 an engaging device ( 4 A,  4 B) that is axially movable along the shaft ( 3 ) within a slot ( 10 B) in the shaft ( 3 ) by at least one electric actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) between at least first and second axial positions; 
 the component has a profile and is spaced from the shaft ( 3 ); 
 the engaging device ( 4 A,  4 B) comprises a profile and extends radially through the slot ( 10 B) in the shaft ( 3 ) and, in the first axial position, the profile of the engaging device ( 4 A,  4 B) is located within the component, and the profile of the engaging device ( 4 A,  4 B) engages the profile of the component such that the component is rotationally fixed to the shaft ( 3 ); 
 in the second axial position of the electric actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) engaging device (4A, 4B), the profile of the engaging device ( 4 A,  4 B) is disengaged from the profile of the component; 
 the at least one electric actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) is arranged at least partially inside and coaxially with the shaft ( 3 ); and 
 a first end of the shaft (3) being supported by a first bearing and a second end of the shaft (3) being supported by a second bearing which facilitate rotation of the shaft (3);  
 wherein the electric actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) is nonrotatably connected to a housing component ( 7 ) and the shaft ( 3 ) is rotationally supported by the housing component ( 7 ) such that the shaft ( 3 ) rotates with respect to the electric actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) and the housing component ( 7 ). 
 
     
     
       2. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the engaging device ( 4 A,  4 B) comprises a drive converter device ( 8 ,  14 ) and is located between the actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) and the component, the drive converter device ( 8 ,  14 ) converts rotary drive from the actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) to translational drive movement. 
     
     
       3. The device according to  claim 2 , wherein the drive converter device ( 8 ,  14 ) is a spindle-nut arrangement with or without self-locking. 
     
     
       4. The device according to  claim 2 , wherein a transmission is arranged in a direction of drive power flow between the actuator and the drive converter device. 
     
     
       5. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the electric actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) is an electric motor by which an existing shift status of the component can be maintained. 
     
     
       6. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) applies a detent torque to maintain a shift status of the component. 
     
     
       7. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) is at least controlled and regulated as a function of at least one of an existing shift status of the engaging device ( 4 A,  4 B), associated with the component, and an actual drive power. 
     
     
       8. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of actuators ( 5 ,  17 ) are combined in a module. 
     
     
       9. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of an electronic power unit and a control unit ( 6 ), associated with the electric actuator ( 5 , 17 ), is arranged at least partially inside the shaft ( 3 ). 
     
     
       10. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of an electronic power unit and a control unit ( 6 ) is combined with the electric actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) to form a common module. 
     
     
       11. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein an electric energy storage ( 7 A) associated with the actuator ( 5 ) is arranged at least partially inside the shaft ( 3 ), the electric energy storage ( 7 A) stores electric energy and supplies the actuator ( 5 ) with the electric energy. 
     
     
       12. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the actuator is arranged inside the shaft and comprises an oil duct for the passage of hydraulic fluid. 
     
     
       13. The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the component mounted to rotate on a shaft ( 3 ) is a loose gearwheel ( 3 A to  3 D) of the transmission device ( 1 ). 
     
     
       14. A device ( 4 ) for actuating a component mounted to rotate on a shaft ( 3 ), the device comprising:
 an engaging device ( 4 A,  4 B) that is axially movable along the shaft ( 3 ) within a slot ( 10 B) in the shaft ( 3 ), by at least one electric actuator ( 5 ,  17 ), between at least first and second axial positions; 
 the component has a profile and is spaced from the shaft ( 3 ); 
 the engaging device ( 4 A,  4 B) comprises a profile and extends radially through the slot ( 10 B) in the shaft ( 3 ) and, in the first axial position, the profile of the engaging device ( 4 A,  4 B) is located within the component, and the profile of the engaging device ( 4 A,  4 B) engages the profile of the component such that the component is rotationally fixed to the shaft ( 3 ); 
 in the second axial position of the electric actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) engaging device (4A, 4B), the profile of the engaging device ( 4 A,  4 B) is disengaged from the profile of the component; and  
 the at least one electric actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) is arranged at least partially inside and coaxially with the shaft ( 3 ); 
 wherein an electrically controlled brake communicates with the actuator to maintain a shift status of the component by preventing a change of the shift status of the component when the actuator is not energized. 
 
     
     
       15. A device ( 4 ) for engaging a gear wheel ( 3 A,  3 B,  3 C,  3 D) to a hollow transmission shaft ( 3 ) such that the gear wheel and the hollow shaft are nonrotatable with respect to each other, and the gear wheel ( 3 A,  3 B,  3 C,  3 D), in a disengaged state, being freely rotationally supported by the hollow shaft ( 3 ), the device comprising:
 an electric actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) is coaxially aligned with the hollow shaft ( 3 ) and located within an interior of the hollow shaft ( 3 ), the electric actuator ( 5 ,  17 ) rotationally actuates a spindle ( 8 A) which engages a nut ( 8 B), the nut ( 8 B) is axially slidable and rotationally fixed with respect to the shaft such that and the nut ( 8 B) is axially biased within the interior of the hollow shaft ( 3 ) by rotation of the spindle ( 8 A); 
 a first end of pins ( 9 A,  9 B) are immovably fixed connected to the nut ( 8 B) and radially extend through slots ( 10 A,  10 B) in the hollow shaft ( 3 ); 
 a second opposite end of the pins is statically connected to a sleeve ( 11 ), the sleeve ( 11 ) is rotationally fixed to the hollow shaft ( 3 ) and axially slidable thereon, the first end of the pins ( 9 A,  9 B) are fixed connected to the nut ( 8 B) within the interior of the hollow shaft ( 3 ), such that as the nut ( 8 B) is axially driven within the hollow shaft by rotation of the spindle ( 8 A); and 
 the sleeve ( 11 ) is axially slidable along the hollow shaft ( 3 ) into a first position such that the sleeve (11), in the first position, is at least partially arranged radially between the gear wheel ( 3 A,  3 B,  3 C,  3 D) and the hollow shaft ( 3 ) such that in a first position,, and a radially exterior radial profile of the sleeve ( 11 ) engages a radially interior radial profile of the gear wheel ( 3 A,  3 B,  3 C,  3 D). 
 
     
     
       16. A transmission device (1) for actuating a loose wheel component mounted on a shaft (3) for rotation with the shaft with respect to a housing, the transmission device (1) comprising:
 a pre-assembled module being insertable into the shaft during assembly, the pre-assembled module comprising an engaging device (4A, 4B), at least one electric actuator (5, 17), and at least one control and power electronic unit (6) associated with the at least one electric actuator (5, 17);   a pin of the engaging device (4A, 4B) being axially movable, by the at least one electric actuator (5, 17), along and within a slot in the shaft between at least first and second axial positions for shifting the loose wheel component via actuation of the engaging device (4A, 4B);   in the first axial position, the pin of the engaging device (4A, 4B), being located relative to the loose wheel component so that a profile of the engaging device (4A, 4B) engages with a profile of the loose wheel component and rotationally fixes the loose wheel component to the shaft (3);   in the second axial position, the profile of the engaging device being disengaged from the profile of the loose wheel component so that the loose wheel component is rotatable relative to the shaft (3);   the shaft (3) being rotationally supported by spaced apart first and second bearings which facilitates rotation of the shaft (3) with respect to the housing (7); and   at least a portion of an energy and control signal transmission device (15) being supported by the housing.   
     
     
       17. The device according to claim 16, wherein a portion of the shaft (3) is located between the energy and control signal transmission device (15) and the second bearing. 
     
     
       18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the energy and control signal transmission device is an inductive rotary transmitter (15) by which both drive energy, required for driving the engaging device (4), and two-directional control signals (28) are exchanged without contact via an inductive transfer.  
     
     
       19. The device according to claim 16, wherein the engaging device (4A, 4B) has a drive converter device (8, 14) which couples the at least one electric actuator (5, 17) to the loose wheel component by which rotary drive of the at least one electric actuator (5, 17) is converted into translational drive movement. 
     
     
       20. The device according to claim 18, wherein the drive converter device (8, 14) is a spindle-nut arrangement with or without self-locking. 
     
     
       21. The device according to claim 16, wherein the at least one electric actuator (5, 17) applies a retaining torque for maintaining a shift status of the loose wheel component. 
     
     
       22. The device according to claim 16, wherein the at least one electric actuator (5, 17) is at least controlled and regulated as a function of at least one of an existing shift status of the engaging device (4A, 4B), associated with the loose wheel component, and an actual drive power. 
     
     
       23. The device according to claim 16, wherein a plurality of actuators (5, 17) are contained within the preassembled module. 
     
     
       24. The device according to claim 16, wherein the pre-assembled module, which comprises the engaging device (4A, 4B), the at least one electric actuator (5, 17) and the at least one control and power electronic unit (6), is connected in a rotational manner relative to the housing of the transmission device (1) such that the pre-assembled module rotates with respect to the housing. 
     
     
       25. The device according to claim 16, wherein a drive converter device (8, 14) and the at least one control and power electronic unit (6) are combined with the at least one electric actuator (5, 17) to form the pre-assembled module. 
     
     
       26. The device according to claim 16, wherein the preassembled module further comprises an electric energy accumulator (7A), associated with the at least one electric actuator (5), so as to be arranged at least partially inside the shaft (3). 
     
     
       27. The device according to claim 16, wherein at least one energy and control signal is transferred between at least one exterior component and the energy and control signal transmission device (15); and
 the at least one exterior component is connected to the housing.   
     
     
       28. The device according to claim 16, wherein a portion of the at least one electric actuator, that is arranged inside the shaft, is provided with an oil duct for passage of hydraulic fluid.