Patent Description:
Electric vehicles may be provided with a park lock connected indirectly to the wheels of the electric vehicle via a transmission or drive unit to prevent rolling of the vehicle when the park lock mechanism is engaged, for example when the vehicle is parked on a slope.

The park lock may be engaged when the wheels of the vehicle are still turning. When the park lock is then engaged, the wheels of the vehicle connected to the drivetrain are locked and may slip on the road surface on which the wheels were rolling. The friction force between the wheels and the road surface causes the vehicle to come to a standstill and causes a load on the park lock mechanism.

In many electric vehicles, no clutch is present to disconnect the electric motor from the wheels. As a result, the rotor of the electric motor will stop as well when the park lock is engaged, which may cause a sudden and intense deceleration of the rotor if the park lock is engaged during vehicle movement. This deceleration causes high loads on the park lock system which may cause damage to the park lock system and/or other components of the drive unit. The shock load from the deceleration of the rotor shaft might exceed the load caused by the friction between the wheels and the road surface. To prevent the shock load, a system may be provided which prevents engagement of the park lock whilst the vehicle is still moving.

To prevent damage to the park lock system due to high loads caused by deceleration of the rotor shaft, components of the park lock system and/or other components of the drive unit such as a pawl, cone, park lock wheel, bearings, shafts and housing are often oversized. It is preferred to provide an improved park lock system with a reduced size.

The reduction in size may be achieved by providing a resilient member within the park lock system or in the transmission. The resilient member is arranged for decreasing deceleration forces when engaging the park lock. With these decreased forces, and because the shock load from the deceleration of the rotor shaft may exceed the load caused by the friction between the wheels and the road surface, smaller components such as smaller bearings may be chosen in the design of a gear train of an electric vehicle.

A first aspect provides a park lock system for an electric vehicle, comprising a first rotational member arranged to be, preferably rigidly, rotationally connected to a rotor shaft of an electric motor of the electric vehicle, a second rotational member, a park lock mechanism arranged to substantially prevent, in an engaged setting, a rotation of the second rotational member and allow, in a disengaged setting, a rotation of the second rotational member, and a resilient member rotationally connecting the first rotational member and the second rotational member.

A rotational member may be any object arranged to be rotated, such as a gear, cog, sprocket, axle, pinion, shaft, ratchet wheel, pulley, sheave, any other object, or a member comprising any combination of said objects. For example may the first rotational member be the rotor of part thereof, and may the second rotational member be a park lock wheel.

A rotational member may rotate at a certain rotational speed, which may be expressed in e.g. rad/s (radians/sec), deg/s (degrees/sec) or RPM (Revolutions Per Minute). The rotation may be around a single rotational axis, which is often an axis of rotational symmetry of the rotational member. A moment of inertia of a rotational member defines the torque required for a certain angular acceleration around the rotational axis, and may be expressed in kg·m<NUM>. The rotational energy of a rotational member is the kinetic energy due to rotation of the rotational member, and may be expressed in Joules.

Rotational stiffness is defined as the amount of torque required to internally twist a body for a certain amount of degrees. The rotational stiffness may be expressed in Nm/deg. A low rotational stiffness implies that it is easier, i.e. a low amount of torque is required, to internally twist a body; a high rotational stiffness implies that it is harder, i.e. a high amount of torque is required, to internally twist a body. A person skilled in the art will appreciate how to influence rotational stiffness of a body, for example by manipulating the shape of the body or by choosing a particular material with a particular G-modulus for the body.

Translational stiffness is defined as the amount of force required to deform a body, and may be expressed in N/mm. A translational stiffness, also referred to just as stiffness, of an object may be influenced for example by its dimensions and by choosing a particular material with a particular E modulus for the object.

An object being resilient means that when a certain force or torque is applied to the object, at least part of the object will elastically deform. When the force or torque is released from the resilient object, the resilient object will substantially return to the original shape it held before the force or torque was applied to it. During elastic deformation under influence of a torque, e.g. twisting, rotational energy may be converted to elastic energy stored in the deformation of the material comprised by the object. For some materials, the rotational energy may be at least partially converted to thermal energy, which may dissipate into the environment surrounding the object.

The gear train of an electric vehicle may comprise a transmission, one or more drive shafts, one or more differentials, and a final drive. The gear train is rotationally connectable to a power source, such as an electric motor.

A first object and a second object being rotationally connected means that rotational energy may be transferred between the first object and the second object. Examples of two objects that are rotationally connected are two parts of a shaft which are fixed in line with each other and two gears which are provided substantially co-axially with meshing teeth.

When a park lock system according to the first aspect is engaged while the vehicle is moving, and thus while the rotor shaft is rotating, rotation of the second rotational member is locked by the park lock mechanism in the engaged setting. The first rotational member is still rotating at the time of engagement between the park lock mechanism and the second rotational member, causing a difference in rotational speed between the first rotational member and the second rotational member.

This difference in rotational speed results in two effects: a deceleration of the first rotational member and a deformation of the resilient member. Since rotational energy of the rotor shaft, which is rotationally connected to the first rotational member, is at least partially used for deformation of the resilient member, the deceleration of the first rotational member and thus the deceleration of the rotor shaft will be lower compared to a situation with a substantially non-resilient member rotationally connecting the first rotational member and the second rotational member. The reduction of deceleration of the rotor shaft will in turn result in a lower dynamic load on the park lock system by virtue of the resilient member provided somewhere between the rotor and the park lock system.

The park lock system may comprise a shaft, wherein the first rotational member is connected at a first axial position on the shaft and the second rotational member is connected at a second axial position on the shaft.

The shaft may comprise the resilient member, or be the resilient member. A torsional resilience may be provided by the shaft between the first rotational member and the second rotational member due to the axial distance between the first rotational member and the second rotational member. The axial distance may be increased or decreased dependent on the desired rotational stiffness of the shaft as the resilient member or the shaft comprising the resilient member.

In an embodiment of the park lock system, the second rotational member is rotationally connected to the shaft via the resilient member. As such, rotational energy passing between the second rotational member and the first rotational member has to travel through the resilient member and may thus deform the resilient member.

For achieving the desired stiffness of the resilient member, the resilient member may comprise vulcanized rubber, any other resilient material, or any combination thereof.

A first of the resilient member and the second rotational member comprises a plurality of axial protrusions and a second of the resilient member and the second rotational member comprises a plurality of axial indentations arranged to receive the axial protrusions. As such, the resilient member may be rotationally connected to the second rotational member.

In a further embodiment, the resilient member comprises a plurality of compression springs provided substantially tangentially relative to the second rotational member. As such, the resilient member may rotationally connect the first rotational member and the second rotational member, wherein rotational energy transferring between the first rotational member and the second rotational member passes through the plurality of compression springs as the resilient member.

In an even further embodiment of the park lock system, the resilient member is arranged as a plurality of leaf springs provided substantially radially relative to the second rotational member. As such, the resilient member may rotationally connect the first rotational member and the second rotational member, wherein rotational energy transferring between the first rotational member and the second rotational member passes through the plurality of leaf springs as the resilient member.

When the resilient member is arranged to rotationally connect the first rotational member and the second rotational member, the resilient member may have a torsional stiffness between <NUM>/deg and <NUM>/deg, preferably between <NUM>/deg and <NUM>/deg, more preferably between <NUM>/deg and <NUM>/deg, and even more preferably between <NUM>/deg and <NUM>/deg.

The preferred rotational stiffness of the resilient member may depend on for example the vehicle mass, the maximum vehicle speed at which the park lock system may be engaged, the rotor inertia, any other mass or moment of inertia comprised by the vehicle, any gear ratio between the rotor and the resilient member, any other factor, or any combination thereof.

A second aspect provides a further embodiment of a park lock system sharing the preference to provide an improved park lock system with a reduced size, using a resilient member.

As such, an embodiment of the park lock system according to the second aspect comprises: a first rotational member arranged to be rotationally connected to a rotor shaft of an electric motor of the electric vehicle, a second rotational member rotationally connected to the first rotational member and arranged to be connected to a park lock mechanism, a park lock mechanism arranged to substantially prevent, in an engaged setting, a rotation of the second rotational member and allow, in a disengaged setting, a rotation of the second rotational member, and a resilient member arranged to in the engaged setting couple a force between the second rotational member and a transmission housing.

As with the park lock system according to the first aspect, the park lock system according to the second aspect makes use of a resilient member arranged to reduce deceleration of the first rotational member when the park lock system is engaged while the vehicle is moving.

A third aspect provides a transmission for an electric vehicle, comprising a transmission housing fixable to a frame of the electric vehicle, the park lock system according to the first aspect or according to the second aspect, wherein in the engaged setting of the park lock mechanism rotation of the second rotational member is coupled to the housing via the park lock mechanism and in the disengaged setting the second rotational member and the park lock mechanism are not rotationally connected such that the second rotational member may be rotated relative to the housing.

In an embodiment of the transmission, the second rotational member is arranged as a gear wheel, and the park lock mechanism comprises an engagement member movable between an engaged position and a disengaged position corresponding to the engaged setting and the disengaged setting, wherein in the engaged position the engagement member engages the gear wheel, and in the disengaged position the engagement member does not engage the gear wheel.

A fourth aspect provides a powertrain of an electric vehicle, comprising a transmission according to the third aspect, and an electric motor comprising a rotor comprising a rotor shaft, wherein the rotor shaft is rotationally connected to the first rotational member of the park lock system of the transmission such that rotation of the rotor is connected to the housing of the transmission via the resilient member when the park lock mechanism is in the engaged setting.

A fifth aspect provides an electric vehicle, comprising a powertrain according to the fourth aspect.

The various aspects and embodiments thereof will now be discussed in conjunction with figures. In the figures:.

<FIG> shows a schematic view of an electric vehicle <NUM>, comprising a vehicle chasses <NUM>, comprising a powertrain <NUM> comprising an electric motor <NUM> with a rotor <NUM> connected to a transmission <NUM> comprising a transmission housing <NUM>. The transmission <NUM> is connected via an optional differential <NUM> to a first wheel <NUM> and a second wheel <NUM>. Note that in the embodiment of the vehicle <NUM> as shown in <FIG>, the rotor <NUM> is always rotationally connected to the wheels <NUM>,<NUM> as there is no clutch or other decoupling element provided between the wheels <NUM>,<NUM> and the rotor. The electric vehicle <NUM> may comprise four wheels, all four of which may be connected to the motor <NUM> and may thus be driven by the motor <NUM>.

The electric vehicle <NUM> comprises a park lock system <NUM> which may be provided in the transmission housing <NUM> or at least partially outside the transmission housing <NUM>. The park lock system <NUM> is arranged to prevent rolling of the vehicle when a park lock mechanism comprised by the park lock system <NUM> is engaged, for example when the vehicle <NUM> is parked on a slope.

<FIG> shows a schematic overview of the inertias in a driveline <NUM> of the electric vehicle <NUM>, wherein a rotor inertia <NUM> is connected to a first gear ratio <NUM>, which in turn may be connected to an intermediate shaft inertia <NUM>, which may be connected to a second gear ratio <NUM>. Any number of intermediate shafts and gear ratios may be provided, including no intermediate shafts and no gear ratios at all. The second gear ratio <NUM> is connected to an after gear inertia <NUM>, which may comprise any of an inertia of a differential, wheel rims and tires, or any other inertia connected in the driveline <NUM>. Finally, via a frictional contact <NUM> between the tires and the road, a vehicle inertia <NUM> is connected to the rotor inertia <NUM>.

<FIG> shows as dotted lines two park lock systems <NUM> at optional locations, a first optional location <NUM> being between the rotor inertia <NUM> and the first gear ratio <NUM> and a second optional location <NUM> being between the intermediate shaft inertia <NUM> and the second gear ratio <NUM>. The park lock system <NUM> is via a first connection <NUM> connected to a fixed world <NUM>, for example the transmission housing <NUM> or any other rigid component of the vehicle <NUM> such as the chassis <NUM>. The fixed world <NUM> may be assumed to have a substantially infinite stiffness. The park lock system <NUM> may be in an engaged setting connected to the driveline <NUM> via a second connection <NUM>, and in a disengaged setting not connected to the driveline <NUM>.

More locations for the park lock system <NUM> are envisioned as well, for example between the first gear ratio <NUM> and the intermediate shaft inertia <NUM>, between the second gear ratio <NUM> and the after gear inertia <NUM>, between any two components comprised by the after gear inertia <NUM>, or any other location where the park lock system <NUM> may in the engaged setting be coupled to the rotor inertia <NUM>. The location may for example be chosen based on a dynamic model of the inertias in the drive line <NUM>.

The resilient member for reducing a deceleration of the rotor inertia <NUM> may be provided in the first connection <NUM>, in the second connection <NUM>, or in both connections.

<FIG> shows part of an embodiment of a transmission <NUM>, comprising a rotor shaft <NUM> which in this embodiment is an at least partially hollow rotor shaft <NUM>. The rotor shaft <NUM> is rotationally supported by two rotor bearings <NUM>. The rotor bearings <NUM> are connected to the transmission <NUM> such that the rotor shaft <NUM> may rotate relative to the transmission <NUM>. The rotor shaft <NUM> may be provided with a rotor gear <NUM> which is arranged to be rotationally connected to a further component of the transmission <NUM>, such as an intermediate shaft or a differential.

The transmission <NUM> further comprises an embodiment of a park lock system <NUM> according to the first aspect, comprising a part <NUM> of the rotor shaft <NUM> as a first rotational member, and a park lock wheel <NUM> as a second rotational member. The rotor shaft <NUM> is rotationally connected to the park lock wheel <NUM> through a resilient shaft <NUM> as a resilient member. The resilient shaft <NUM> is in this embodiment rotationally supported by a resilient shaft bearing <NUM> and is at least partially provided inside the hollow rotor shaft <NUM>.

The part <NUM> of the rotor shaft <NUM> as the first rotational member is connected to the shaft <NUM> at a first axial position at an axial distance from a second axial position where the park lock wheel <NUM> as the second rotational member is connected to the shaft <NUM>.

The park lock system <NUM> further comprises a park lock mechanism <NUM> comprising a park lock actuator <NUM> for engaging and disengaging the park lock mechanism <NUM> and the park lock wheel <NUM> and a housing connection <NUM> rigidly connecting the park lock mechanism <NUM> to the transmission housing or any other component of an electric vehicle <NUM> to which the park lock mechanism <NUM> may be substantially rigidly connected.

<FIG> shows part of another embodiment of the transmission <NUM>, wherein an embodiment of the park lock system <NUM> according to the first aspect comprises an extended section <NUM> as a first rotational member, which may be a separate part rotationally connected to the rotor shaft <NUM> or may be part of the rotor shaft <NUM> itself.

The park lock wheel <NUM> is provided as the second rotational member, and the park lock wheel <NUM> is connected to the extended section <NUM> via the resilient member <NUM>. Different embodiments are envisioned for the resilient member <NUM> which may be applied in the park lock mechanism <NUM> of <FIG>, some of which will be explained in conjunction with <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>.

As an alternative to the embodiment of <FIG>, the extended section <NUM> may be omitted and the park lock wheel <NUM> may be connected via the resilient member <NUM> to the rotor shaft <NUM>, for example between the right rotor bearing <NUM> and the rotor gear <NUM>.

<FIG> shows part of a further embodiment of the transmission <NUM>, comprising a park lock system <NUM> according to the second aspect comprising the extended section <NUM> as a first rotational member, which may be a separate part rotationally connected to the rotor shaft <NUM> or may be part of the rotor shaft <NUM> itself.

The park lock mechanism <NUM> comprises an engagement member <NUM> which, when the park lock mechanism <NUM> is engaged, engages with the second rotational member <NUM>. The engagement member <NUM> is in a park lock system <NUM> according to the second aspect connected to the housing connection <NUM> via the resilient member <NUM>. As such, when the park lock mechanism <NUM> is engaged, the rotational energy from the second rotational member <NUM> is at least partially dissipated by the resilient member <NUM>.

The resilient member <NUM> may in a park lock system <NUM> according to the second aspect be provided anywhere between the engagement member <NUM> and the housing connection <NUM> when the park lock mechanism <NUM> is engaged. For example, when the park lock mechanism <NUM> comprises a pawl as an engagement mechanism, and a cone and push rod as park lock actuator <NUM>, the cone may be embodied as the resilient member <NUM>.

<FIG> shows part of an even further embodiment of the transmission <NUM> comprising an intermediate shaft <NUM> which is rotationally connected to the rotor shaft <NUM> via the rotor gear <NUM> and an intermediate gear <NUM> and rotationally supported in intermediate shaft bearings <NUM>. The intermediate gear <NUM> in the embodiment of <FIG> comprises the second rotational member <NUM>, or may be the second rotational member itself. Mounted on the intermediate shaft <NUM> may be a further gear <NUM>, arranged to be rotationally connected to a further component of the electric vehicle <NUM>, such as the differential <NUM>.

As an option which may be provided in other embodiments of the transmission <NUM> as well, in the embodiment of <FIG>, the park lock mechanism <NUM> may be engaged in an axial direction relative to the rotor shaft <NUM>, whereas in other embodiments of the park lock system <NUM>, the park lock mechanism <NUM> may be engaged in a radial direction relative to the rotor shaft <NUM>, or a tangential direction relative to the rotor shaft <NUM>, or in any other direction. For axial engagement, the second rotational member <NUM> may be arranged as a crown wheel. The park lock mechanism <NUM> may also be arranged for engagement in a direction between the axial direction and the radial direction, and in such an embodiment the second rotational member <NUM> may be arranged as a bevel gear with a angle corresponding to the engagement direction of the park lock mechanism.

When the transmission <NUM> comprises the intermediate shaft <NUM>, a park lock system <NUM> according to the second aspect may be used as well, wherein the second rotational member <NUM> is rotationally connected to the intermediate shaft <NUM>. While in <FIG> the resilient member <NUM> is provided between the intermediate gear <NUM> and the second rotational member <NUM>, the resilient member <NUM> may in embodiments of the park lock system <NUM> also be provided between the second rotational member <NUM> and one or both of the housing connection <NUM> or the park lock actuator <NUM> or another part of the park lock mechanism <NUM>.

<FIG> shows part of an embodiment of the transmission <NUM>, focused on the rotor shaft <NUM> and the first rotation member <NUM> as a part of the rotor shaft <NUM> supported in rotor bearing <NUM>. A park lock wheel <NUM> is provided as second rotational member, and radially provided between the park lock wheel <NUM> and the rotor shaft <NUM> is a resilient ring <NUM> as a resilient member for rotationally connecting the park lock wheel <NUM> and the rotor shaft <NUM>. The resilient ring <NUM> may be connected directly to the rotor shaft <NUM> or via a coupling ring <NUM>.

The resilient ring <NUM> may comprise vulcanized rubber as a resilient material, any other resilient material or any combination thereof. Dimensions of the resilient ring <NUM> such as an inner radius, outer radius and/or thickness may be chosen and combined with resilient material options such that the resilient ring <NUM> provides a preferred rotational stiffness between the rotor shaft <NUM> and the park lock wheel <NUM>.

<FIG> shows part of yet another embodiment of the transmission <NUM> focused on the rotor shaft <NUM> and the part of the rotor shaft <NUM> as the first rotation member supported in rotor bearing <NUM>. The park lock wheel <NUM> as the second rotational member and as a first of the resilient member and the second rotational member comprises a one or more dowels <NUM> as axial protrusions. The resilient holed member <NUM> as a second of the resilient member and the second rotational member <NUM> comprises a plurality of axial indentations <NUM> arranged to receive the dowels <NUM>.

In an alternative embodiment, the resilient member <NUM> comprises the axial protrusions and the second rotational member comprises the indentations arranged to receive the axial protrusions of the resilient member.

<FIG> respectively show a section view and a front view of part of yet another embodiment of the transmission <NUM> with the views focused on the rotor shaft <NUM> and the part of the rotor shaft <NUM> as the first rotation member supported in rotor bearing <NUM>. In the embodiment of <FIG>, tangentially oriented compression springs <NUM> are provided as resilient members between the park lock wheel <NUM> with teeth <NUM> and the rotor shaft <NUM>. Any number of tangentially oriented compression springs <NUM> including only one may be provided between the park lock wheel <NUM> and the rotor shaft <NUM>, for example dependent on the desired rotational stiffness between the park lock wheel <NUM> and the rotor shaft <NUM>. An intermediate part <NUM> may optionally be provided to connect the compression springs <NUM> to the rotor shaft <NUM>.

<FIG> respectively show a section view and a front view of a further embodiment of the transmission <NUM> with the views focused on the rotor shaft <NUM> and the part of the rotor shaft <NUM> as the first rotation member supported in rotor bearing <NUM>. In the embodiment of <FIG>, radially oriented leaf springs <NUM> are provided as resilient members between the park lock wheel <NUM> with teeth <NUM> and the rotor shaft <NUM>. Any number of radially oriented leaf springs <NUM> including only one may be provided between the park lock wheel <NUM> and the rotor shaft <NUM>, for example dependent on the desired rotational stiffness between the park lock wheel <NUM> and the rotor shaft <NUM>. An intermediate part <NUM> may optionally be provided to connect the leaf springs <NUM> to the rotor shaft <NUM>.

<FIG> shows part of an embodiment of the park lock system <NUM> according to the second aspect, comprising the park lock wheel <NUM> as the second rotational member. The park lock wheel <NUM> comprises a plurality of teeth <NUM>, and is, rigidly or resiliently, rotationally connectable to the rotor as the first rotational element, which has been omitted in <FIG> for clarity of the figure.

The park lock system <NUM> comprises a park lock mechanism <NUM>, which comprises a pawl <NUM> as an engagement element, and a cone and push rod <NUM> as park lock actuator. The park lock mechanism <NUM> in <FIG> is shown in the engaged setting, wherein the pawl <NUM> is provided between two teeth <NUM> of the park lock wheel <NUM> to prevent rotation of the park lock wheel <NUM>.

In the engaged setting as shown in <FIG>, rotation of the park lock wheel <NUM> is coupled to the transmission housing (not shown) via the pawl <NUM>, a lever <NUM>, a resilient shaft <NUM> as the resilient member, and a toothed shaft end <NUM> as the housing connection which is resiliently connectable to the transmission housing.

In the disengaged setting as shown in <FIG>, rotation of the park lock wheel <NUM> is not coupled to the transmission housing, and thus the park lock wheel <NUM> is free to rotate.

Alternatively or additionally to the resilient shaft <NUM> being the resilient member, the lever <NUM> may be arranged as the resilient member. In the embodiment of <FIG>, the lever <NUM> comprises to split lever sections to allow the push rod <NUM> to extend through the lever sections.

<FIG> shows part of yet another embodiment of the park lock system <NUM> according to the second aspect, comprising the park lock wheel <NUM> as the second rotational member. The park lock wheel <NUM> comprises a plurality of teeth <NUM>, and is, rigidly or resiliently, rotationally connectable to the rotor as the first rotational element, which has been omitted in <FIG> for conciseness and clarity of the figure.

In the engaged setting as shown in <FIG>, the park lock wheel <NUM> is rotationally connected to the pawl <NUM>, which in turn is connected to an excenter <NUM>. The excenter <NUM> is to be connected to the housing of the transmission via a spring as the resilient member. The excenter <NUM> is further rotationally mounted to a bearing <NUM> as a housing connection.

<FIG> shows the embodiment of the park lock system <NUM> of <FIG>, but now in a disengaged setting wherein the rotation of the park lock wheel <NUM> is not coupled to the transmission housing, and thus the park lock wheel <NUM> is free to rotate.

As can be seen from the embodiments of <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>, many options are envisioned for providing the resilient connection in the park lock mechanism <NUM>. Any combination of embodiments provided at any location within the transmission or drive line of the electric vehicle as discussed in conjunction with <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> is envisioned.

Different components in a park lock system may be manufactured as single monolithic parts. Additionally or alternatively may any set of components in a park lock system be fused together, such as the park lock wheel <NUM> and the rotor shaft <NUM>.

In the description above, it will be understood that when an element such as layer, region or substrate is referred to as being "on" or "onto" another element, the element is either directly on the other element, or intervening elements may also be present. Also, it will be understood that the values given in the description above, are given by way of example and that other values may be possible and/or may be strived for.

Furthermore, the invention may also be embodied with less components than provided in the embodiments described here, wherein one component carries out multiple functions. Just as well may the invention be embodied using more elements than depicted in the Figures, wherein functions carried out by one component in the embodiment provided are distributed over multiple components.

It is to be noted that the figures are only schematic representations of embodiments of the invention that are given by way of non-limiting examples. For the purpose of clarity and a concise description, features are described herein as part of the same or separate embodiments, however, it will be appreciated that the scope of the invention may include embodiments having combinations of all or some of the features described. The word 'comprising' does not exclude the presence of other features or steps than those listed in a claim. Furthermore, the words 'a' and 'an' shall not be construed as limited to 'only one', but instead are used to mean 'at least one', and do not exclude a plurality.

A person skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various parameters and values thereof disclosed in the description may be modified and that various embodiments disclosed and/or claimed may be combined without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

It is stipulated that the reference signs in the claims do not limit the scope of the claims, but are merely inserted to enhance the legibility of the claims.

Claim 1:
A park lock system (<NUM>) for an electric vehicle (<NUM>), comprising:
- a first rotational member arranged to be rotationally connected to a rotor shaft (<NUM>) of an electric motor (<NUM>) of the electric vehicle (<NUM>);
- a second rotational member;
- a park lock mechanism (<NUM>) arranged to substantially prevent, in an engaged setting, a rotation of the second rotational member and allow, in a disengaged setting, a rotation of the second rotational member; and
- a resilient member (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) rotationally connecting the first rotational member and the second rotational member,
wherein a first of the resilient member (<NUM>, <NUM>) and the second rotational member comprises a plurality of axial protrusions and a second of the resilient member (<NUM>, <NUM>) and the second rotational member comprises a plurality of axial indentations (<NUM>) arranged to receive the axial protrusions.