An actuator assembly comprises a housing having a piston at least partially disposed therein. The actuator assembly includes at least one biasing mechanism disposed within the housing to selectively position the piston between a first position, a second position, and a third position located between the first and second positions.

A piston-cylinder assembly (1) has a cylindrical housing (3), with a main piston (2) and at least one trailing piston (11, 12). The trailing piston (11, 12) is axially guided on a cylindrical outer lateral face (38) of the main piston (2). The trailing piston (11, 12) has a thrust portion (13, 14) at one end near a piston web on the main piston, The thrust portion extends axially inward toward the piston web (10) A travel limiter (28) on the cylindrical housing limits a travel range of the trailing piston (11, 12) Under pressure, the trailing piston (11, 12) follows the main piston (2) until the trailing piston (11, 12) hits the travel limiter (28). The thrust portion (13, 14) of the trailing piston (11, 12) is shaped to fit into an associated recess (30, 31) in the piston web with a positive lock.

An actuator assembly comprises a housing having a piston at least partially disposed therein. The actuator assembly includes at least one biasing mechanism disposed within the housing to selectively position the piston between a first position, a second position, and a third position located between the first and second positions.

An actuator unit for a shiftable transmission, in particular a transmission of an electrically driven utility vehicle, has an actuating element which is designed to adjust at least two shift positions in the transmission. The actuator unit is designed to be provided as a separate unit at least partially within the transmission. A transmission having such an actuator unit is disclosed.

A transmission assembly for a hydrostatically or electrically propelled vehicle, comprising an input shaft, an output shaft, a first pair of gears and a second pair of gears, a synchroniser, a hydraulically operated actuator of the synchroniser which comprises a rod, and a hydraulic circuit for moving the rod, wherein the rod comprises an enlarged portion that is slidingly and sealingly housed in a respective portion of the seat so as to define two intermediate chambers. The actuator further comprises a contact element that is slidingly and sealingly housed in a relevant seat that is adjacent to the portion of the sliding seat so as to define a first end chamber, the contact element being able to move independently of the rod and defining an end point of the rod. A second end chamber is defined in an end of the rod that is opposite the enlarged portion.

A transmission device including a body, an input member extending along the body, and having a rotational axis, a gear assembly connected to the input member, having an inner gear, one or more intermediate gears engaged with the inner gear; and an outer gear engaged with one or more intermediate gears, wherein in a first position the gear assembly is configured to rotate at substantially the same rate as the input member and axial movement of at least one component to a second position, in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation, allows the gear assembly to provide to an output member a different output rate relative to the input member, and an actuator movable between a first position at which the gear assembly moves to its first position and a second position at which the gear assembly moves to its second position, the actuator moves under hydraulic pressure.

A piston-cylinder assembly (1) has a cylindrical housing (3), with a main piston (2) and at least one trailing piston (11, 12). The trailing piston (11, 12) is axially guided on a cylindrical outer lateral face (38) of the main piston (2). The trailing piston (11, 12) has a thrust portion (13, 14) at one end near a piston web on the main piston, The thrust portion extends axially inward toward the piston web (10) A travel limiter (28) on the cylindrical housing limits a travel range of the trailing piston (11, 12) Under pressure, the trailing piston (11, 12) follows the main piston (2) until the trailing piston (11, 12) hits the travel limiter (28). The thrust portion (13, 14) of the trailing piston (11, 12) is shaped to fit into an associated recess (30, 31) in the piston web with a positive lock.

Disclosed and claimed is a double-acting cylinder comprising a cylinder housing, a first floating piston, a second floating piston and a central piston which is movable to three stationary positions along an actuation direction of the cylinder. A movement of the floating pistons in the cylinder bore is delimited by end stop arrangements. A movement of the central piston in the cylinder bore is delimited by the first and the second floating piston. Each floating piston comprises a first section and a second section. A circumferential length of the floating pistons is greater in the first section than in the second section. In the first sections a first seal is arranged for a sealing engagement with an inner wall of the cylinder bore. In the second sections a second seal is arranged for a sealing engagement with the inner wall of the cylinder bore or an inner wall of the central piston.

A transmission device including a body, an input member extending along the body, and having a rotational axis, a gear assembly connected to the input member, having an inner gear, one or more intermediate gears engaged with the inner gear; and an outer gear engaged with one or more intermediate gears, wherein in a first position the gear assembly is configured to rotate at substantially the same rate as the input member and axial movement of at least one component to a second position, in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation, allows the gear assembly to provide to an output member a different output rate relative to the input member, and an actuator movable between a first position at which the gear assembly moves to its first position and a second position at which the gear assembly moves to its second position, the actuator moves under hydraulic pressure.

Described herein is a gearbox for an electric vehicle drivetrain unit comprising a gearbox enclosure, a support rod, a first piston, a second piston, and various hydraulic fluid passages. The support rod extends into the gearbox enclosure and at least partially protrudes/extends into the first and second pistons. The first piston, second piston, and support rod are fluidically connected with the hydraulic fluid passages such that when the gearbox is in a neutral gear, pressurized hydraulic fluid forces the first piston and the second piston against the support rod. When the gearbox is in a first gear, pressurized hydraulic fluid forces the support rod against the gearbox enclosure either directly or through the first piston. When the gearbox is in a second gear, pressurized hydraulic fluid forces the support rod against the gearbox enclosure directly or through the second piston. Also described are electric vehicles and shifting methods.