Shift signal transmitter for a manual transmission of a vehicle and shift apparatus for a manual transmission

Abstract

A shift signal transmitter for a manual transmission of a vehicle, in particular of a motorcycle, includes a shift rod for force-transmitting coupling to a foot lever, optionally with the interposition of an extension rod. The shift rod is guided along its longitudinal axis in an axially displaceable manner between two axial stops in an, in particular sleeve-shaped, housing. A connecting piece, which serves for coupling to a shift lever, is rigidly connected to the housing opposite to an internal axial end of the shift rod. A distance sensor for contact-free distance measurement is disposed within the housing opposite to the internal axial end of the shift rod and a sensor area of the distance sensor is oriented radially relative to the longitudinal axis. A shift apparatus for a manual transmission of a vehicle is also provided.

Claims

1. A shift signal transmitter for a manual transmission of a vehicle or a motorcycle, the shift signal transmitter comprising: a housing; a shift rod to be connected to a foot lever for force transmission, said shift rod having an internal axial end and a longitudinal axis, said shift rod being axially movably guided along said longitudinal axis in said housing between two axial stops; a connecting piece to be coupled to a shift lever, said connecting piece being rigidly connected to said housing opposite to said internal axial end of said shift rod; a distance sensor for contactless distance measurement, said distance sensor being disposed within said housing opposite to said internal axial end of said shift rod, said distance sensor having a sensor surface oriented radially to said longitudinal axis, said distance sensor including a printed circuit board oriented within said housing opposite to said internal axial end of said shift rod, said printed circuit board having a surface extension oriented radially to said longitudinal axis of said shift rod; an electrically conductive conductor track carried by said circuit board for inductive distance measurement relative to said internal axial end of said shift rod; and an evaluation circuit carried by said circuit board.

2. The shift signal transmitter according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive conductor track of said circuit board is formed as a spiral coil.

3. The shift signal transmitter according to claim 1, wherein said evaluation circuit is configured to output a first shift signal when said internal axial end of said shift rod is closer to said conductor track than a first switching value, and to output a second shift signal when said internal axial end of said shift rod is further away from said conductor track than a second switching value.

4. The shift signal transmitter according to claim 3, wherein said first and second switching values are spaced apart by a shift signal-free distance.

5. The shift signal transmitter according to claim 1, wherein said printed circuit board is fixedly attached to an interior of said housing.

6. The shift signal transmitter according to claim 1, which further comprises a spring biasing said shift rod into a neutral position between said two axial stops in an unloaded state of said spring.

7. The shift signal transmitter according to claim 6, wherein said shift rod is configured to be displaced from said neutral position towards said distance sensor by a first shift stroke and to be displaced away from said distance sensor by a second shift stroke.

8. The shift signal transmitter according to claim 1, wherein said shift rod is movable in two axial directions, and upon a movement of said shift rod said two axial stops acting as a driver for transmitting a shift force in each of said axial directions.

9. The shift signal transmitter according to claim 1, wherein said shift rod is made of a non-magnetic material.

10. The shift signal transmitter according to claim 1, which further comprises a sleeve made of a non-magnetic material being mounted on said internal axial end of said shift rod for supporting said shift rod.

11. A shift apparatus for a manual transmission of a vehicle, the shift apparatus comprising a shift signal transmitter according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, side-elevational view of a manual transmission for a motorcycle with a shift signal transmitter;

(2) FIG. 2 is a longitudinal-sectional view of the shift signal transmitter; and

(3) FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the shift signal transmitter which is taken along a line III-III of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is seen a shift apparatus 1 for a manual transmission of a motorcycle. The shift apparatus 1 includes a foot lever 4, which can be movably attached to a motorcycle frame through a pivot point 6. The shift apparatus 1 also includes a thrust and pull rod 8, which is connected to the foot lever 4 in an articulated manner. The shift apparatus 1 also includes a shift signal transmitter 10, which is used to output a shift signal to an engine controller of the motorcycle. This shift signal transmitter 10 is coupled to the thrust and pull rod 8. Furthermore, the shift apparatus 1 includes a (transmission) shift lever 12, which is disposed on the power output side of the shift rod 8 and is connected thereto in an articulated manner by a connecting piece 14. The shift lever 12 is used for force transmission to a transmission control shaft of the manual transmission.

(5) FIG. 2 shows the shift signal transmitter 10 in more detail. The shift signal transmitter 10 includes a housing 20 in which a shift rod 22 that forms an extension to the thrust and pull rod 8 and that can be coupled thereto for force transfer (shown in FIG. 1 in the coupled state) can move in the axial direction 24. The thrust and pull rod 8 thus forms an extension rod for transferring force between the shift rod 22 and the foot lever 4. Moreover, the shift rod 22 is mounted by a spring, specifically a coil spring 26, so that the shift rod 22 is positioned in a neutral position 28 shown in FIG. 2 when there is no external force effect. Starting from this neutral position 28, the shift rod 22 can be moved into the housing 20 by a first shift stroke H.sub.1. The axial movement into the housing 20 is limited by a first axial stop 30. The shift rod 22 can be moved from the neutral position 28 towards the foot lever 4 by a second shift stroke H.sub.2 limited by a second axial stop 32. In the event of a movement beyond the respective shift stroke H.sub.1 or H.sub.2, the two act as drivers with the axial stops 30 and 32 and thus transmit the shift force exerted on the shift rod 22 through the housing 20 to the connecting piece 14 and thus to the shift lever 12.

(6) In order to enable a speed alignment for simplified gear changing, the shift signal transmitter 10 includes a distance sensor 34, which is fixed in the housing 20 opposite to an internal axial end 36 of the shift rod 22. The distance sensor 34 includes a printed circuit board 38 on which a conductor track that generates an inductive measuring field is printed, specifically a preferably spiral coil 40. This coil 40 is used for inductive distance measurement between the distance sensor 34 and the internal axial end 36. The distance sensor 34 also includes an evaluation circuit 41 disposed on the printed circuit board 38, which outputs a first shift signal (preferably in the form of a voltage value) through a sensor cable 42 to the engine controller of the motorcycle when the axial end 36 approaches by the first shift stroke H.sub.1 and which correspondingly outputs a second shift signal through the sensor line 42 when the axial end 36 moves away by the second shift stroke H.sub.2.

(7) The shift rod 22 carries a sleeve that is referred to as a shoe 44 at its axial end 36 for simplified support (and in particular for longitudinal guidance in the housing 20) and optionally for increasing the surface of the axial end 36 of the shift rod 22 to be sensed.

(8) The use of the inductive distance sensor 34 has the advantage that despite the simplest possible construction of the sensor system, even when using only one sensor, a shift signal can be output at a time of a corresponding approach or distancing by the axial end 36. Furthermore, an inductive sensor principle does not require the use of comparatively expensive magnets to detect the change in the distance.

(9) The subject-matter of the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment described above. Rather, further embodiments of the invention may be derived from the above description by a person skilled in the art.

REFERENCE CHARACTER LIST

(10) 1 manual transmission 4 foot lever 6 pivot point 8 thrust and pull rod 10 shift signal transmitter 12 shift lever 14 Connecting piece 20 housing 22 shift rod 24 axial direction 26 coil spring 28 neutral position 30 axial stop 32 axial stop 34 distance sensor 36 axial end 38 circuit board 40 coil 42 sensor cable 44 shoe H.sub.1 shift stroke H.sub.2 shift stroke