Technical Field

The invention relates to the gearbox of vehicles with automatic transmission.

The invention particularly relates to a gearbox locking system with a simple structure, which enables the motion of the rod connected to the push-pull wire via the clutch element connected with the gearstick, and ensures it to be active only in the park position and otherwise releases the wire.

Present State of the Art

Vehicles with automatic transmission, even though it depends on the type of the gearbox, has a system which locks gearbox wheels when it is in park (P) position. This system is subject to regulations in the American market and it is expected for the European market. System simply comprises mechanically locking the gearbox wheels when the gearstick is shifted into park position. Depending on the shifting mechanism, locking action is executed by pushing the opposing part with a solenoid motor or a push-pull wire.

In systems where a push-pull wire is used, the push-pull wire is present to enable the locking when the gearstick is in park position. When the gear is in park position, this wire is in pushed state by the shifting mechanism and in locked state. It is required to be released in other gear positions. To enable this, there is a mechanical system which clutches or unclutches the wire which is called 'clutch-unclutch'. Such systems result in complicated designs in addition to increasing the costs. The wire is never released in such systems. However, the wire is required to be engaged in positions other than the park position. When the gear is shifted towards D+ and D- positions, it slides from 'clutch-unclutch' however the wire is never fully released.

When the present technique is reviewed, some studies involving push-pull wires can be encountered. One of these are presented in Chinese patent number CN106314140 (B60K 20/02, F16H 59/02) titled 'Integrated apparatus and gearbox connection bracket for a push-pull cover cap'.

Therefore, requirement for a gearbox locking system with a simple structure which engages the wire only when in park position and releases it otherwise; and inadequacy of present solutions necessitates an innovation in the relevant technical field. Purpose of the Invention

This invention relates to a gearbox locking system which meets the aforementioned requirements, overcomes all disadvantages and provides some additional advantages.

The main purpose of the gearbox locking system of the invention; is enabling the gearbox locking action in the relevant park position, by connecting the rigid rod, which has a curved surface at the end, to the push-pull wire and enabling the contact between the mentioned curved surface and the clutch element, which is connected to the gearstick. Rod is unclutched later in other positions by removing it from the locking point with the help of the pulling surface which is shaped on the gearstick. In this type of embodiments, the problem of the push-pull wire always staying connected with gearstick is thus solved. In addition, since the 'clutch-unclutch', which clutches or unclutches the wire, eliminates the need for a mechanical system, a low level complexity and low cost system is achieved.

Another purpose of the invention; is to provide a motion with a certain level of order by bearing the rod's motion by the channels formed on the housing parts in which the rod moves. This way, possible faults are prevented by providing thus working order.

Another purpose of the invention; is moving the rod farther from the clutching point by the help of the pushing surface which is formed on the structure connected to the gearstick and positioned at the farther side with respect to the axis of rotation.

To achieve the aforementioned purposes in the most general sense, a shifter clutching system which enables mechanically locking of the gearbox by applying tension to the push-pull wire via the motion on the housing of the transmission connection element connected to the gearstick, and releases in other positions. The developed gearbox locking system comprises; at least one rod which is connected to the push-pull wire and a curved element formed on its one end, at least one clutch channel, which is formed on the housing provide to move the transmission connection element towards the turning point when it is moving in the forward direction and move that away when it is moving backward direction by guiding to the curved element, at least one clutch element formed on the transmission connection element and performs pushing of the curved element to forward direction, at least one pulling surface formed on the transmission connection element and performs pushing of the curved element to backward direction, a clutch space which is formed on the transmission connection element, between the clutch element and the pulling surface, and limits the motion of the curved element when the transmission connection element is motionless.

Structural and characteristic features of the invention with all its advantages will become apparent with the figures given hereinafter and the detailed description with reference to these figures and therefore it should be appreciated by considering these figures and the detailed description. Figures that will Help Understanding the Invention

Structure and additional elements of the present invention with its advantages shall be appreciated better with the figures explained below.

Figure - 1 : Exploded view of the shifter clutching system of the invention.

Figure - 2: Internal view of the shifter clutching system of the invention when it is in the locked state.

Figure - 3: Internal view of the shifter clutching system of the invention when it is in the

Figure - 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e: Side views of the shifter clutching system of the invention when it is in different transmission states.

Parts References

10 Shifter clutching system 35 Seat surface

20 Housing 36 Side pole

21 Clutch channel 39 Press surface

22 Vertical guide channel 40 Rod

23 Skipping point 41 Curved element

24 Motion opening 50 Push-pull wire

30 Transmission connection element 0 Turning point

31 Clutch element r1 Push distance

32 Clutch space r2 Seat distance

33 Pulling surface X Forward

34 Clutching guide surface y Backward

Detailed Description of the Invention

Automatic transmissions generally comprise four positions indicated with P-R-N-D symbols. In addition to these, there are "+ -" positions which enables shifting manually. P corresponds to parking and in this position, wheels are also locked on the side of the gearbox. Here the transmission connection element (30) connected with the gearstick is moved forward (x) on the housing (20) to apply tension on the push-pull wire (50) and it is provided that the gearbox is mechanically locked when in the park position.

Figure 1 shows the exploded view of the shifter clutching system (10) of the invention. In contrast to the existing systems, the shifter clutching system (10) is developed to ensure that the push-pull wire (50), which is tight in park position, is released in otherwise positions. A shifter clutching system (10) developed for this purpose comprises the following most basic elements:

- at least one rod (40) which is connected to the push-pull wire (50) and a curved element (41 ) formed on its one end,

at least one clutch channel (21 ), which is formed on the housing (20) provide to move the transmission connection element (30) towards the turning point (O) when it is moving in the forward (x) direction and move that away when it is moving backward (y) direction by guiding to the curved element (41 ),

- at least one clutch element (31 ) formed on the transmission connection element (30) and performs pushing of the curved element (41 ) to forward (x) direction,

- at least one pulling surface (33) formed on the transmission connection element (30) and performs pushing of the curved element (41 ) to backward (y) direction,

- at least one press surface (39) formed on the transmission connection element (30) and performs pushing of the curved element (41 ) to forward (x) direction,

a clutch space (32) which is formed on the transmission connection element (30), between the clutch element (31 ) and the pulling surface (33), and limits the motion of the curved element (41 ) when the transmission connection element (30) is motionless. In Figures 2 and 3, an internal view of the shifter clutching system (10) when it is in locked and released position respectively. The rod (40), which constitutes one of the most important elements, is connected to push-pull wire (50) on one end, and preferably a cylindrical or spherical curved element (41 ) is found on its other end. The rod (40) enters into the housing

(20) , which comprises two opposite symmetrical parts, through the motion opening (24) and is able to move on the inside-outside direction. When the rod (40) is in released state, the vertical guide channel (22) formed on the housing (20) guides the curved element (41 ) to travel freely in forward (x) and backward (y) directions. The vertical guide channel (22) and the clutch channel

(21 ) are connected to each other via the skipping point (23). The skipping point (23) directs the curved element (41 ) in between the vertical guide channel (22) and the clutch channel (21 ). The structure of the transmission connection element (30) plays an important role in directing and controlling the curved element (41 ). When the curved element (41 ) on the transmission connection element (30) is inside the clutch space (32), the seat surface (35) is introduced on which the rod (40) seats is formed. The side poles (36) which keep the curved element (41 ) some distance away from the seat surface (35) are formed around the seat surface (35). A clutching guide surface (34) is also introduced on the forward (x) side of the transmission connection element (30) on the forward side of the seat surface (35). The feature of the clutching guide surface (34) is that the pushing distance (r1 ) between the mentioned and the turning point (O) being larger than the seat distance (r2) between the seat surface (35) and the turning point (O). Therefore when the transmission connection element (30) moves in the backward (y) direction, the rod (40) is pushed away from the turning point (O) and delivering the curved element (41 ) from the clutch channel (21 ) to the vertical guide channel (22) is provided. Figure 4 shows the side views of the shifter clutching system (10) in different gear positions. When the gearstick is pushed forward (x) towards the park position as seen in Figure 4a, the clutch element (31 ) drives the curved element (41 ) on the clutch channel (21 ) by pulling to it into the clutch space (32). The rod (40), which is at rest at this point, mechanically locks the gearbox by also pushing the push-pull wire (50) to which it is connected.

As seen in Figure 4b, when the transmission is shifted in backward (y) direction with the help of the transmission connection element (30), the pulling surface (33) directs the curved element (41 ) towards the skipping point (23) by sliding it on the clutch channel (21 ). During this motion the rod (40) is supported by the side poles (36) and it is pushed away from the turning point (O) by the clutching guide surface (34). This smooths the motion of the curved element (41 ). The curved element (41 ), which was delivered from the skipping point (23) to the vertical guide channel (22), is able to move here freely since no obstacles occupies its path. Later on, when the gearstick is pulled in the backward (y) as seen in Figures 4c, 4d and 4e, or in other words when it is shifted towards other positions such as N or D, the rod (40) remains unaffected and the push-pull wire (50) remains released in every position other than the park position. Therefore, the requirement for a separate mechanism for clutching and unclutching is eliminated.