Shift fork for a vehicular transmission

Abstract: The present invention relates to a shift fork (10) for a vehicular transmission. The shift fork (10) utilizes a hub portion (12) from which an offset arm (16) extends radially outwardly to terminate in an outer end portion (18). One or more contact pads (22 and 44) are supported from the outer end portion (18) of the offset arm (16), and the tines (20) extending from the offset arm (16). The contact pads (22 and 44) present longitudinally facing wear surfaces (24 and 46). Each of the longitudinally facing wear surfaces (24 and 46) has an angularly inclined portion (32). The inclined portions (32) each diverge outwardly at an angle which equals the angle at which the offset arm (16), or each tine (20), deflects at the location along the contact pads (22 and/or 44) where each wear surface (24 and/or 46) is subjected to a predetermined load.

Description: The present invention relates to vehicular transmissions. More particularly, the present invention relates to the movable shift forks that are incorporated in vehicular transmissions selectively to translate the coupling sleeves in shift synchronizers, or even one or more of the shift gears directly, in order to effect selection of the desired gear ratio. Specifically, the present invention is directed to an improved configuration for the contact pads or shoes which are utilized in conjunction with such shift forks and which may conveniently be fabricated as an integral part of the shift fork. Selectively movable shift forks are employed in vehicular transmissions to translate the means employed therein to select the desired gear ratio between the engine and the drive wheels of the vehicle. The present invention is directed to an improved configuration for shift forks, and particularly the contact pads or shoes presented from the shift fork, to engage whatever members are utilized within the transmission to effect selection of the desired gear ratio. Contact surfaces on the shift fork are slidably received within an annular groove or race provided in the member to be translated, be it the gear or the coupling collar. The shift fork is, itself, supported by a hub portion. The hub portion may be slidably received on a mounting shaft; it may be secured to an axially translatable shift rail; or, it may be pivotally mounted on a support shaft. Irrespective of how the hub portion is supported, an offset arm extends radially outwardly from the hub portion, and the outer end portion of the offset arm may be bifurcated into two, divergent arms or tines which embrace the race in the gear or coupling collar to be translated by that shift fork. In the vast majority of manual transmissions, when the driver operates a shift lever to effect a change in the gear ratio, the movement of the shift lever is communicated to a shift fork that is utilized to engage or disengage the necessary gears, either with each other or with the shafts on which they are carried. As such, it is commonly thought that the shift fork must be sufficiently rigid to overcome the resistance offered by the interaction of those components within the transmission which effect selection of the gear ratio. This conclusion has been empirically determined on the basis that deflection of the prior art shift forks has produced deleterious results. Specifically, deflection of a prior art shift fork can: (1) cause the coupling collar to "cock" on its shaft; (2) cause the independently mounted contact pads interposed between the shift fork and the element engaged thereby to "cock"; and/or (3) cause the contact pads of prior known configuration to wipe away the protective lubricant interposed between each contact pad and the transmission which it engages. Shift forks are made from a wide variety of materials to accomplish the desired design parameters. As should now be apparent, the principal design parameters have heretofore been that the hub and offset arm portions of the shift fork should resist the bending stresses to which they are typically exposed. At the same time, the ends of the bifurcated tines which come into contact with the race, in either the gears themselves or coupling collars, must have a low coefficient of friction and yet good resistance to wear. Shift forks have been made by casting a copper-aluminium alloy which makes it possible not only to impart the desired frictional characteristics to the ends of the shift fork, but also provide the necessary structural resistance heretofore deemed to be required. The use of brass offers the same advantages. However, these materials are quite heavy, and they are relatively expensive. Moreover, the mass of material required to impart the desired strength not only increases the weight of the shift fork, but also increases the size thereof, so that they become a significant factor in designing the transmission housing. Shift forks made from cast iron or steel can certainly provide the desired rigidity, but prior known designs for the shift forks have led to the conclusion that such materials cause degradation of the shift forks themselves or of the race with which the shift fork interacts. It has, therefore, been necessary to provide some metallurgical treatment to the shift forks in order to obviate frictional wear and degradation. Alternatively, it has heretofore been suggested that the use of separate wear inserts could accomplish the desired wear resistance. The use of separate contact pads does make it possible to fabricate the shift fork itself out of a stress resistant material and yet make the contact pad out of a wholly distinct material which has the requisite wear and friction characteristics. However, even though it has been recognized that the use of separate contact pads can be beneficial, it has not been appreciated that the planar or arcuate configurations heretofore employed tend to wipe away the lubricant if the shift fork is not sufficiently rigid to preclude deflection under the anticipated loading. As such, it has not previously been thought possible to lighten the shift fork and allow it to deflect under the forces to which it is commonly subjected in a transmission, and at the same time rely upon the configuration of the contact pad to accommodate the deflection and thereby avoid the operational degradation heretofore experienced when the shift fork has been inadvertently permitted to deflect. An example of the prior art can be found in US Patent No. 3,915,027. It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a shift fork for a vehicular transmission, the shift fork having reduced mass to effect economic savings of materials and a concomitant reduction in the space required within the transmission housing to receive the shift fork. A shift fork in accordance with the present invention is characterised by the features specified in the characterising portion of claim 1. The present invention provides a shift fork, as above, that employs contact pads which can tolerate relatively large axial loading, even though the loading significantly deflects the shift fork, but without the customarily attendant degradation or mechanical binding of the components previously experienced when the shift fork was permitted to deflect. The present invention may also provide a shift fork, as above, whereby the contact pads may be integrally formed with the shift fork in such a unique configuration that materials heretofore deemed to be operationally degrading to the elements contacted thereby can be employed. The present invention also provides a shift fork, as above, that is economical to manufacture and use. The present invention also provides a method whereby to determine the most appropriate configuration for the contact pad to accommodate the anticipated loading, and a wear element for the shift fork. In general, a shift fork for a vehicular transmission embodying the concepts of the present invention is supported by a hub portion, and an offset arm extends radially outwardly from the hub portion. Spaced radially outwardly from the hub portion, the offset arm terminates in an outer end portion. Contact pads are supported from the outer end portion of the offset arm, and the contact pads present longitudinally facing wear surfaces. Each of the longitudinally facing wear surfaces has an angularly inclined portion extending radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hub portion. The angularly inclined portion may diverge outwardly at an angle which equals the angle at which the offset arm deflects at the location of the contact pad when the contact pad is subjected to a predetermined load. The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a frontal perspective of a shift fork embodying the concepts of the present invention; Figure 2 is an elevational view of the shift fork shown in Figure 1 and depicted in conjunction with the phantom or chain line representation of a race in the member to be longitudinally translated by the shift fork; Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation taken substantially along line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but depicting the shift fork as it engages the race of a member to be translated by the shift fork; and Figure 5 is a schematic representation of a shift fork embodying the concepts of the present invention subjected to deflection by a predetermined loading visually to depict how the angular inclination of the wear surfaces on the contact pads is determined. An improved shift fork assembly embodying the concepts of the present invention is identified by the numeral 10 on the accompanying drawings. With initial reference to Figures 1 and 2, the representative shift fork 10 is supported by a hub portion 12. The hub portion 12 may be slidably received on a supporting member 14, in which situation, an additional structural element (not shown) will be included on the shift fork 10, as is well known to the art, for connection to the link mechanism by which the shift fork 10 may be translated along the longitudinally axis "A" of the supporting member 14. It is also quite common to secure the hub portion 12 to the supporting member 14 and effect translation of the supporting member 14 itself along longitudinal axis "A" and thereby translate the shift fork 10. When the hub portion is fixed to the supporting member 14, the supporting member 14 is commonly designated as a shift rail. An offset arm 16 is oriented perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis "A" and extends radially outwardly from the hub portion 12 to terminate in an outer end portion 18. The offset arm has a plane of symmetry 17 that is disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis "A". Typically, the outer end portion 18 is bifurcated to present a pair of opposingly disposed tines 20A and 20B, respectively, which curve outwardly from the outer end portion 18 to be transversely spaced with respect to the plane of symmetry 17. As may be apparent from the previous paragraph, and as utilized in the detailed description which follows, a particular structural member, component or arrangement, may be duplicated within the structure of the invention. When referring generally to that type of structural member, component or arrangement, a common numerical designation shall be employed. However, when one of the structural members, components or arrangements so identified is to be individually identified, it shall be referenced by virtue of a letter suffix employed in combination with the numerical designation employed for general identification of that structural member, component or arrangement. Thus, there are tines which are generally identified by the numeral 20, but the specific individual tines are, therefore, identified as 20A and 20B in the specification and on the drawings. This same suffix convention shall be employed throughout the specification. Each tine 20 terminates in a portion defining a contact pad 22 which may effectively be formed integrally therewith, or contact pads of the same configuration may be separate and distinct elements that are demountably secured to the tines 20. In either event, the contact pads 22 preferably project longitudinally outwardly (parallel to the longitudinal axis "A") from the tines 20 to provide (longitudinally facing) wear surfaces 24. Each wear surface 24 has an inclined portion more fully hereinafter described. To expand upon the configuration of the contact pads 22, each has a sagittal or longitudinal plane 26 (as viewed in Figure 2) and two reference planes 28 and 30 which are disposed orthogonally with respect to the sagittal plane 26. The first reference plane 28 (also as represented in Figure 2) is disposed transversely with respect to the tine 20 and defines the junction of the tine 20 with the contact pad 22 presented therefrom. The second reference plane 30 (as represented in Figure 4) is disposed perpendicularly with respect to the sagittal plane 26 and medial of the tine 20. Each wear surface 24 has a longitudinally facing, radially extending, angularly inclined, planar portion 32 which diverges outwardly at an angle identified as  in Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings. The radially outermost extent of the planar portion 32 merges tangentially with a curvilinear portion 34, and the curvilinear portion 34 is preferably arcuate, as depicted. The means by which to determine the numerical value of  will be hereinafter more fully explained, but for the present, it should be noted that the side elevation represented in Figure 4 depicts the tine 20B as it is received in a race 36 of a coupling collar 38. The oppositely directed wear surfaces 24A and 24B on the contact pads 22 cooperatively interact with side walls 40 and 42 of the race 36, as will be hereinafter more fully explained. A third contact pad 44 is presented at the juncture of the outer end portion 18 of the offset arm 16 with the tines 20, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The third contact pad 44 may also be formed integrally with the remainder of the shift fork 10, or it may be a separate and distinct element that is demountably attached to the outer end portion 18 of the offset arm 16. The third contact pad 44 also projects longitudinally outwardly with respect to the offset arm 16, and each contact pad 44 provides a (longitudinally facing) wear surface 46. The wear surface 46 is radially extending, and angularly inclined, such that it diverges outwardly at an angle identified as Θ on Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings. The method by which to determine the angular values for Θ and  will now also be more fully explained. The angular inclination of the planar portions 32 of the wear surfaces 24 on the contact pads 22A and 22B, as well as the planar wear surface 46 on the third contact pad 44, can be conveniently and accurately determined by the following method. The hub portion 12 of the shift fork 10 is secured within a vice-like device 50, as depicted schematically in Figure 5. The shift fork 10 is secured within the vice-like device 50 fixedly to position the longitudinal axis "A" of the hub portion 12. Based upon an evaluation of the link mechanism by which the shift fork 10 is operatively connected to a shift lever (not shown) in the environment within which the shift fork 10 is to be employed -- taken in consideration of the anticipated force applied to the shift lever during a shift operation -- one can reasonably estimate a representative loading that would be applied to the wear surfaces 24 and 46. For example, a representative loading on the wear surfaces 24,46 might well total approximately 267N (60 pounds). In the embodiment of the shift fork 10 described, that would amount to the application of 89N (20 pounds) to each of the two wear surface 24 as well as to the third wear surface 46. The representative shift fork 10 might well have a moment arm that extends from the longitudinal axis "A" of the hub portion 12 to the centre of the wear surfaces 46 on the contact pads 44. Under the application of the aforesaid loading, one can measure the deflection of the wear surfaces 46. With a representative shift fork 10 embodying the concepts of the present invention, the contact pads 44 will have deflected 0.234 mm. Once the shift fork 10 has deflected, one must determine the length of the moment arm as it is projected upon the location where the second of the reference planes 30 had been prior to the deflection of the shift fork 10. This projected length of the offset arm 16 is considered the side adjacent S.A. Θ as marked on Figure 5. Using comparable geometric terminology, the deflection is preferably the side opposite S.O. Θ . Knowing the projected length of the offset arm, which measures 21.6 mm, and the deflection, one can calculate, for example, the angle of inclination ϑ of the wear surfaces 46, in the following manner: tan ϑ = deflection (S.O.) projected length (S.A.) Substituting the appropriate values: tan ϑ = 0.234 21.6 = 0.010833 Therefore: ϑ = 37.24' (0.62°) One can also determine the desired angle of inclination  for the wear surfaces 24 on the contact pads 22 when the shift fork 10 is subjected to a predetermined load, but for this calculation one should address the deflection at the end portion of the tines 20 rather than perform the geometric calculations on the basis of the dimensions for the entire shift fork 10 and the overall deflection of the contact pads 22. The decision to focus on the outer end portion of the tines 20 is made because the loading applied to the shift fork causes it to bend to varying degrees along its overall length. As such, a short incremental length of the shift fork 10, such as the end portions of the tines 20, can be considered to deflect relatively linearly. Accordingly, one may consider that the end of each tine 20 (which have deflected 0.754 mm under the aforesaid loading) defines the vertex of a triangle that may be considered when calculating the angle of inclination  for the wear surfaces 24. On that basis one can then determine that the midpoint of each contact pad 22 (the point at which the load can be deemed to be concentrated) deflects 0.6495 mm under the aforesaid loading. Inasmuch as the contact pads 22 extend along the tines 20 for approximately 15.91 mm in the representative shift fork 10 described herein, one can establish a triangle wherein the side of the triangle adjacent the angle  -- that is, S.A.  to be calculated has a projected length of approximately 7.95 mm, and the side opposite S.O.  is equal to the difference between the total deflection at the apex of the triangle and the deflection at the midpoint of the contact pad 22, which under the aforesaid loading is measured to be 0.1045 mm. The calculations for determining the magnitude of angle  may, therefore, be accomplished as follows: tan  = side opposite side adjacent Substituting the appropriate values: tan  = .1045 7.95 = .01314 Therefore:  = 45.172' (0.75°) In view of the foregoing explanation as to the determination of the deflection angles ϑ and  for a specific shift fork 10 when subjected to a predetermined loading, it should now be understood that the tangent of each angle is approximately equal to the deflection of the wear surface under consideration divided by the projected length of the offset arm through which the specific deflection is achieved. As such, the terms "side adjacent" and "side opposite" are particularly apposite. As such, the present invention teaches that a shift fork embodying the concepts of the present invention may not only have reduced mass and therefore be subject to deflection, although without the attendant degradation and binding inherent to prior art shift forks, but also accomplish the other objects of the invention.

Claims: A shift fork for a vehicular transmission comprising a hub portion (12) having a longitudinal axis (A); an offset arm (16) oriented perpendicularly with respect to the longitudinal axis being connected with and extending radially outwardly from the hub portion to terminate in an outer end portion (18); at least one contact pad (22,44) presented from the outer end portion of the offset arm to provide longitudinally facing wear surfaces (24,46); characterised in that each of the longitudinally facing wear surfaces includes an angularly inclined portion (32) extending radially with respect to the longitudinal axis. A shift fork, as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the angularly inclined portion (32) of the wear surfaces (24,46) diverge outwardly, each at an angle (Φ,Θ) which equals the angle at which the offset arm (16) deflects at the location of the contact pad (22,44) when a predetermined load is applied to the contact pad. A shift fork as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the tangent of the angle (Φ,Θ) is approximately equal to the deflection of the wear surface (24,46) divided by the projected length of the offset arm (16) through which the deflection is achieved. A shift fork as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the offset arm (16) has a plane of symmetry (17) disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis (A); tines (20) curve outwardly from the outer end portion (18) of the offset arm to be transversely spaced with respect to the plane of symmetry; and contact pads (22) are presented from each of the tines. A shift fork as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the wear surfaces (24) of each contact pad (22) both diverge outwardly, each at an angle () which equals the angle at which the tines (20) deflect at the location of the contact pads when the contact pad is subjected to a predetermined load. A shift fork as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the tangent of the angle () is approximately equal to the deflection of the wear surface (24) divided by the projected length through which the deflection is achieved. A shift fork as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 6, wherein each angularly inclined portion (32) of each wear surface (22) merges with a curvilinear portion (34) at the radially outermost extent of the angularly inclined portion. A shift fork as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the merger of the angularly inclined portion (32) with the curvilinear portion (34) is tangential. A shift fork as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the curvilinear portion (34) is arcuate. A shift fork as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 9, wherein a third contact pad (44) is supported from the juncture of the tines (20) with the outer end portion (18) of the offset arm (16); the third contact pad also presenting longitudinally facing angularly inclined wear surfaces (46) extending radially with respect to the longitudinal axis (A). A shift fork as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the tangent of the angle (Θ) at which each wear surface (46) of the third contact pad (44) is angularly inclined is approximately equal to the deflection of that wear surface divided by the projected length through which the deflection is achieved. A method for determining the disposition of the wear surfaces (24,46) on contact pads (22,44) presented from a shift fork as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 11, the method comprising the steps of providing a shift fork (10) that has a hub portion (12) with an offset arm (16) extending radially outwardly from the hub portion and from which the contact pads are presented; fixedly positioning the hub portion; determining a representative loading that would be applied to the offset arm by the contact pads during operation of the vehicular transmission; applying the representative load to the contact pads of the shift fork which has the hub portion fixedly positioned; determining the deflection of the contact pads when subjected to said representative loading; determining the angular disposition of the contact pads as the tangent of an angle that is approximately equal to the deflection of the wear surface divided by the projected length of the offset arm through which said deflection is achieved; and, providing the wear surface on the contact pad that is inclined at the determined angular disposition.

Inventors: BERNDTSON JOHN JEROME, DOWNS ROBERT CHARLES, BERNDTSON, JOHN JEROME, DOWNS, ROBERT CHARLES
Applicants: SATURN CORP, SATURN CORPORATION
Application year: 1991
Main classification: F16H63
IPC codes: F16H63