DETENT DEVICE AND TRANSMISSION

Abstract

A detent device for a transmission, having a shifting element, first and second end-position retaining configurations arranged at first and second positions, respectively on the shifting element, the second position is different from the first, and a neutral retaining configuration arranged on the shifting element at a third position different from the first and second positions. A latching first detent element which, depending on the position of the shifting element, latches either at the first or second end positions in the first or second end-position retaining configurations, respectively, and another latching detent element, which latches in the neutral retaining configuration when the shifting element is in its neutral position. The neutral retaining configuration has a retaining contour which is designed and/or orientated differently on the shifting element from the first end-position retaining configuration and from the second end-position retaining configuration. A transmission with a detent device.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A detent device for a transmission comprising: a shifting element (2), a first end-position retaining configuration (3.1) arranged at a first position on the shifting element (2), a second end-position retaining configuration (3.2) arranged on the shifting element (2) at a second position different from the first position, and a neutral retaining configuration (4) arranged on the shifting element (2) at a third position different from the first position and the second position, and further comprising: a first latching detent element (5.1) which is designed, depending on a position of the shifting element (2), to latch with interlock either at a first end position of the shifting element (2) in the first end-position retaining configuration (3.1) or at a second end position of the shifting element (2) in the second end-position retaining configuration (3.2), and a second latching detent element (5.2), different from the first latching detent element (5.1), which is designed to latch with interlock in the neutral retaining configuration (4) when the shifting element (2) is in a neutral position, and the neutral retaining configuration (4) having a retaining contour which is at least one of designed and orientated differently on the shifting element (2) from the first end-position retaining configuration (3.1) and from the second end-position retaining configuration (3.2).

15. The detent device according to claim 14, wherein the shifting element (2) is a shifting rail (2a) which moves linearly along a length thereof, the shifting rail (2a) has an outer surface in which a first depression, that forms the first end-position retaining configuration (3.1), is formed at a first axial position along the length of the shifting rail (2a) and in which a second depression, that forms the second end-position retaining configuration (3.2), is formed at a second axial position along the length of the shifting rail (2a), the second depression is arranged axially offset relative to the first axial position of the first depression, and in which a third depression, that forms the neutral retaining configuration (4), is formed at a third axial position along the length of the shifting rail (2a) which is arranged axially offset relative to the first axial position of the first depression and to the second axial position of the second depression.

16. The detent device according to claim 15, wherein the neutral retaining configuration (4) is arranged in the third axial position in an axial direction between the first axial position of the first depression and the second axial position of the second depression on the shifting rail (2a), in an orientation around the shifting rail (2a) which differs from orientations of the first depression and of the second depression about the length of the shifting rail (2a).

17. The detent device according to claim 14, wherein the retaining contour of the neutral retaining configuration (4) is arranged at an orientation on the shifting element (2) which differs either by 90 degrees or by 180 degrees from an orientation of retaining contours of the first end-position retaining configuration (3.1) and of the second end-position retaining configuration (3.2).

18. The detent device according to claim 14, wherein the second latching detent element (5.2), designed to latch with interlock in the retaining contour of the neutral retaining configuration (4), is arranged at an orientation different from an orientation of the first latching detent element (5.1) designed to latch with interlock in retaining contours of the first end-position retaining configuration (3.1) and of the second end-position retaining configuration (3.2).

19. The detent device according to claim 14, wherein the retaining contour of the neutral retaining configuration (4) is designed differently, in such manner that the retaining contour of the neutral retaining configuration (4) has at least one side surface (6.1, 6.2) orientated in an operating direction of the shifting element (2), which is steeper than side surfaces (7.1, 7.2) of at least one of the first end-position retaining configuration (3.1) and the second end-position retaining configuration (3.2) orientated in the operating direction of the shifting element (2).

20. The detent device according to claim 14, wherein the second latching detent element (5.2) has a counter-latching contour that cooperates with the retaining contour of the neutral retaining configuration (4), which is designed differently from a counter-latching contour of the first latching detent element (5.1) such that the counter-latching contour of the second latching detent element (5.2) has at least one side surface (6.1, 6.2) orientated in an operating direction of the shifting element (2) which is steeper than a side surface (7.1, 7.2) of the counter-latching contour of the first latching detent element (5.1) orientated in the operating direction of the shifting element (2).

21. The detent device according to claim 14, wherein the first latching detent element (5.1) is spring-loaded toward the shifting element (2) by a first spring device (8.1) and the second latching detent element (5.2) is spring-loaded toward the shifting element (2) by a second spring device (8.2), and the second spring device (8.2) has higher spring stiffness than a spring stiffness of the first spring device (8.1).

22. The detent device according to claim 14, wherein the second latching detent element (5.2) is associated with a locking element, which is designed to secure the second latching detent element (5.2) against being pushed out of the neutral retaining configuration (4) when the second latching detent element (5.2) is latched into the neutral retaining configuration (4) and the shifting element (2) is moved.

23. The detent device according to claim 14, wherein associated with the second latching detent element (5.2) there is a sensor designed to detect a position of the second latching detent element (5.2).

24. The detent device according to claim 14, wherein the detent device (1) comprises a two-position cylinder operated by pressure modulation, which is designed to move the shifting element (2) so that during a displacement of the shifting element (2) automatically controlled by the two-position cylinder between the first end-position retaining configuration (3.1) and the second end-position retaining configuration (3.2), the neutral retaining configuration (4) can be found.

25. A transmission comprising: a shifting arrangement for shifting the transmission between at least a first shifting condition and at least a second shifting condition, such that the shifting arrangement comprises a detent device (1) having a shifting element (2), a first end-position retaining configuration (3.1) arranged at a first position on the shifting element (2), a second end-position retaining configuration (3.2) arranged on the shifting element (2) at a second position different from the first position, and a neutral retaining configuration (4) arranged on the shifting element (2) at a third position different from the first position and the second position, and further comprising a first latching detent element (5.1) which is designed, depending on a position of the shifting element (2), to latch with interlock either at a first end position of the shifting element (2) in the first end-position retaining configuration (3.1) or at a second end position of the shifting element (2) in the second end-position retaining configuration (3.2), and a second latching detent element (5.2) different from the first latching detent element (5.1), which is designed to latch with interlock in the neutral retaining configuration (4) when the shifting element (2) is in a neutral position, the neutral retaining configuration (4) having a retaining contour which is at least one of designed and orientated differently on the shifting element (2) from the first end-position retaining configuration (3.1) and from the second end-position retaining configuration (3.2).

26. The transmission according to claim 25, wherein the shifting arrangement of the transmission is designed to shift an automated transmission, a range group or a splitter group of a group transmission, or a respective reversing gear shift, in each case into a neutral position.

27. A detent device for a transmission comprising: a shifting element defining a longitudinal axis and being axially movable along the longitudinal axis to first and second end positions and a neutral position; a first retaining configuration having a retaining contour and being arranged at a first axial position on the shifting element; a second retaining configuration having a retaining contour and being arranged at a second axial position on the shifting element; a neutral retaining configuration having a retaining contour and being arranged at a third axial position on the shifting element, the first, the second and the third axial positions on the shift element being axially offset from each other along the longitudinal axis, and the retaining contour of the neutral retaining configuration being at least one of designed and orientated differently on the shifting element from the retaining contours of the first and the second retaining configurations; a first latching detent element being laterally movable relative to the longitudinal axis and received within the first retaining configuration, when the shifting element is in the first end position, to retain the shifting element in the first end position and the first latching detent element being received within the second retaining configuration, when the shifting element is in the second end position, to retain the shifting element in the second end position; and a second latching detent element being different from the first latching detent element and laterally movable relative to the longitudinal axis, the second latching detent element being received within the neutral retaining configuration, when the shifting element is in the neutral position, to retain the shifting element in the neutral position.

28. The detent device according to claim 27, wherein the shifting element has an outer surface, the first retaining configuration is a first depression in the outer surface, the second retaining configuration is a second depression in the outer surface and the neutral retaining configuration is a third depression in the outer surface, and the first, the second and the third depressions in the outer surface of the shifting element are oriented such that the first latching detent element is prevented from being received within the third depression and the second latching detent element is prevented from being received within the first and the second depressions.

29. The detent device according to claim 28, wherein the first depression and the second depression are arranged at one orientation about a circumference of the outer surface and the third depression is arranged at another orientation about the circumference of the outer surface that is either 90 degrees or 180 degrees from the one orientation of the first and the second depressions about the circumference of the outer surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Specific example embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detail in the figure descriptions given below, which relate to the attached figures. Specific features of these example embodiments, which represent general features of the invention, can if appropriate be considered individually or in other combinations of features regardless of the specific connection in which they are mentioned.

[0029] The figures show:

[0030] FIG. 1: A first embodiment of a detent device with a first and a second detent element, which are arranged with orientations different from one another and with the second detent element latched into the neutral retaining configuration;

[0031] FIG. 2: The first embodiment of a detent device, with the first and second detent elements as in FIG. 1 and with the first detent element latched into one of the two end-position retaining configurations;

[0032] FIG. 3: A second embodiment of a detent device with a first and a second detent element, which are orientated differently from one another, with the second detent element latched into a neutral retaining configuration which has steeper side surfaces than the end-position retaining configurations; and

[0033] FIG. 4: The second embodiment of a detent device with the first and second detent elements as in FIG. 3 and the first detent element latched into one of the two end-position retaining configurations, which have less steep side surfaces than the neutral retaining configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] The detent device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 comprises in each case a shifting element 2, a first end-position retaining configuration 3.1 arranged at a first position on the shifting element 2, a second end-position retaining configuration 3.2 arranged at a second position different from the first position on the shifting element, and a neutral retaining configuration 4 arranged on the shifting element at a third position different from the first position and from the second position. The detent device 1 further comprises a latching first detent element 5.1 which, depending on the position of the shifting element 2, is designed to latch with interlock either, in a first end position of the shifting element 2, in the first end-position retaining configuration 3.1 (FIG. 2), or in a second end position of the shifting element 2, in the second end-position retaining configuration 3.2 (FIG. 4).

[0035] The detent device 1 also comprises a latching second detent element 5.2 different from the first detent element 5.1 and which is designed to latch with interlock in the neutral retaining configuration 4 when the shifting element 2 is in its neutral position (FIG. 1, FIG. 3). The neutral retaining configuration 4 has a retaining contour designed differently from the retaining contours of the first end-position retaining configuration 3.1 and the second end-position retaining configuration 3.2 (FIG. 3, FIG. 4) and/or a different orientation (FIGS. 1 to 4) on the shifting element 2.

[0036] In the two embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and in FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively, the shifting element 2 is in the form of a shifting rail 2a that moves linearly in its longitudinal direction.

[0037] In the first embodiment according to FIGS. 1 and 2, although the retaining contours of the neutral retaining configuration 4, the first end-position retaining configuration 3.1 and the second end-position retaining configuration 3.2 are identical, the neutral retaining configuration 4 or the retaining contour of the neutral retaining configuration 4 is orientated differently from the orientations of the first and second end-position retaining configurations 3.1 and 3.2, namely in the example embodiment shown in an orientation rotated by 180 degrees around the axial length, i.e. around the operating direction of the shifting element 2. To put it differently, in the case of this example embodiment the neutral retaining configuration 4 is arranged on the opposite side of the shifting element 2 relative to the first and second end-position retaining configurations 3.1 and 3.2. Thus, the neutral retaining configuration 4 faces the opposite way relative to the orientation of the first and second end-position retaining configurations 3.1 and 3.2. Accordingly, the first and second end-position retaining configurations 3.1 and 3.2 face toward the same direction and co-operate with the same detent element 5.1, namely the first detent element.

[0038] In the second embodiment according to FIGS. 3 and 4, as in the first embodiment the neutral retaining configuration 4 or the retaining contour of the neutral retaining configuration 4 is again orientated differently from the orientation of the first and second end-position retaining configurations 3.1 and 3.2, and in the case of the second example embodiment shown, again in an orientation rotated by 180 degrees around the axial length, i.e. around the operating direction of the shifting element 2. However, the neutral retaining configuration 4 is designed differently from the first and second end-position retaining configurations 3.1 and 3.2. In the case of the example embodiment shown, the design of the neutral retaining configuration 4 differs from the design of the first and second end-position retaining configurations 3.1 and 3.2 in that the retaining contour of the neutral retaining configuration 4 has side surfaces 6.1 and 6.2 which are steeper than the side surfaces 7.1 and 7.2 of the first and second end-position retaining configurations 3.1 and 3.2. Accordingly, the side-surface angles a of the side surfaces 6.1 and 6.2 of the neutral retaining configuration 4 are smaller, i.e. steeper than the side-surface angles A of the side surfaces 7.1 and 7.2 of the first end-position retaining configuration 3.1 and/or the second retaining configuration 3.2.

[0039] In the two embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 or FIGS. 3 and 4, respectively, the first detent element 5.1 is spring-loaded by a first spring device 8.1 toward the shifting element 2 and the second detent element 5.2 is spring-loaded by a second spring device 8.2 toward the shifting element 2, such that the second spring device 8.2 has greater spring stiffness than the first spring device 8.1.

INDEXES

[0040] 1 Detent device [0041] 2 Shifting element [0042] 2a Shifting rail [0043] 3.1 First end-position retaining configuration [0044] 3.2 Second end-position retaining configuration [0045] 4 Neutral retaining configuration [0046] 5.1 First detent element [0047] 5.2 Second detent element [0048] 6.1, 6.2 Side surfaces [0049] 7.1, 7.2 Side surfaces [0050] 8.1 First spring device [0051] 8.2 Second spring device